National Support and Services for Out-of-Home Carers
The internet is a useful source of information for out-of-home carers. This page contains links to Commonwealth and other national information, supports and services that may be useful to you.
Find the answer to Frequently Asked Questions about Australian Government support.
Australian Government payments and benefits you may be eligible for
- Medicare – Find out how you can claim for the medical treatment of the child in your care, even if you don’t have their Medicare card.
- Child Support Agency – Find out whether you will be able to get child support payments from the parents of the child you are raising.
- Centrelink has some very good information for people raising children:
- Health Care Card – The foster child Health Care Card can help reduce the cost of medicine for the child in your care.
- Child Care Benefit – Child Care Benefit can help with the cost of approved child care.
- Child Care Rebate – In addition to the Child Care Benefit, the Child Care Rebate may help with the costs of approved Child Care.
- Baby Bonus - If you are the primary carer of a newborn baby or an adopted child, you may be eligible for the Baby Bonus. Baby Bonus is an income tested payment that helps with the costs of a new baby.
- Double Orphan Pension – If the child you are raising meets the criteria for an orphan, you might be able to get the Double Orphan Pension.
- Parenting Payment – Help with the costs of caring for children. It is paid to the person who is the main carer of a child.
- Maternity Immunisation Allowance – If you have had the child in your care vaccinated, you might be able to get the Maternity Immunisation Allowance payment.
- Centrelink Grandparent Advisors – Grandparent Advisors have been introduced in selected Centrelink Customer Service Centres to support grandparents with full-time caring responsibility for their grandchildren.
- Grandparent or Relative Caring for Children FAQ (PDF) – If you are a grandparent or relative carer, this brochure outlines the Centrelink and Medicare benefits you may be eligible for.
- Transition to Independent Living Allowance – One-off support to help young people who are leaving care to meet some of the costs involved in moving to independent living.
- Multilingual Resources – If you need to talk to Centrelink in a different language.
Information to help you raise the children or young people in your care
- Trauma – Many children who can’t live at home anymore suffer from the effects of trauma. Find out practical information about how you can help them.
- Understanding traumatised children (PDF) – Information to help you understand and connect with children who have experienced trauma.
- Raising Children Network – The Australian parenting website: comprehensive, practical, expert child health and parenting information and activities covering children aged 0-15 years.
- Choosing safe activities (PDF) – Tips for choosing an activity or organisation for your child to join.
- Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) (PDF) – Some children in care suffer from FASD. This resource has useful information and practical tips about how to raise a child with FASD.
- kidscount – Help to raise happy and confident children. Available in different languages.
- MyChild - Information about early childhood education, what you can do to help your child be healthy and happy, and programs that can help you.
Information for children and young people in care
- headspace – Mental health and wellbeing help for the child you are caring for.
- Kids Helpline– This is a free and private telephone helpline and online counselling service for children and young people who are between 5 and 25 years old.
- Youth Beyond Blue – This is an organisation working to address depression, anxiety and similar problems in young people between 12 and 25 years old.
- Kids Leaving Care – Help and practical tips for young people who are leaving care.
Help for you as a carer
- Helplines – A list of helplines that you can call.
- MoneySmart – Find out how you can make smart decisions with your money on this new website.
- Playgroup Australia – The national peak body for promoting the value of Playgroups for nurturing children, supporting families, and building communities through play.
Carer support organisations
Promoting the rights of children and young people
- Australian Childhood Foundation – The Australian Childhood Foundation works to put a stop to child abuse and give children a life free from violence and trauma.
Information for Indigenous carers and carers of Indigenous children
Information for carers from culturally and linguistically diverse communities