Overview

Australia’s foster and kinship carers play a critical role in the lives of children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, and family violence. These carers are volunteers and provide 24/7 care, stability, and healing to the most vulnerable children in our communities, yet they continue to be undervalued, under-resourced, and left out of key decisions that affect the children they care for.

Despite being essential partners in the child protection system, carers are not treated as part of the professional care team. They are expected to carry enormous emotional, practical, and financial burdens without proper recognition, inclusion, or compensation. No other group of volunteers is asked to do so much while receiving so little support in return.

This is a national issue, one that requires urgent attention, reform, and accountability.

I propose a national policy commitment to recognise, respect, and adequately support volunteer foster and kinship carers, underpinned by legislative rights, financial fairness, and meaningful inclusion in all decisions impacting them and the children they care for.

Policy Objectives

• Recognition: Formally acknowledge foster and kinship carers as key stakeholders and essential contributors to the child protection system, deserving of respect, genuine partnership, and fair treatment.
• Legislative Rights: Enshrine carer rights in legislation, including their right to be involved in decision-making, to advocate without fear of retribution, access to transparent appeal mechanismsand be treated with fairness, dignity, and procedural justice.
• Financial Fairness: Ensure carers are not left out-of-pocket or financially disadvantaged for providing vital care that keeps vulnerable children safe, supported, and connected to the community. 
• Inclusive Practice: Guarantee that carers have a genuine seat at the table in all planning, case reviews, and decisions affecting the children in their care, including the right to choose representation from bodies that reflect their views and ensure meaningful and respectful consultation.
• Independent Oversight: Advocate for the establishment and coordination of truly independent oversight mechanisms across all jurisdictions to ensure carers have a safe, trusted pathway to raise concerns, and that accountability is upheld within state and territory child protection systems.
• Support and Training: Ensure carers receive high-quality, nationally consistent training, as well as access to respite, mental health support, and specialist services tailored to the needs of the children in their care.
• Cultural Support and Identity: Ensure that foster and kinship carers receive the training, resources, and support necessary to help children maintain and connect with their cultural identities. This includes facilitating access to cultural practices, language preservation, and community connections. Carers should be supported in understanding and respecting the cultural backgrounds of the children in their care, fostering a sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing.
• Medical, Disability, and Palliative Care Support: Ensure foster and kinship carers who care for children with high medical needs, disabilities, or palliative care requirements are provided with a dedicated and responsive multidisciplinary support team. This includes timely access to specialist services, equipment, case coordination, and streamlined processes to prevent delays in care. Carers must be supported to navigate complex systems without being burdened, and children must not be disadvantaged due to bureaucratic delays or lack of tailored support.
• Collaboration and Consultation: Genuine and ongoing collaboration must include the direct involvement of carers themselves, not just peak bodies or representatives. Carers must have a seat at the table when shaping policies, practices, and reforms at both state and federal levels.
• Tax and Superannuation Support: Offer targeted tax relief and super contributions to address long-term financial disadvantage.

Why Reform is Urgent

• Burnout and Attrition: Foster and kinship carers face high levels of burnout, leading many to leave the system. Adequate support is needed to retain and recruit carers, reducing reliance on residential care and ensuring the best outcomes for children and young people.
• Financial Strain: Carers struggle financially, often unable to maintain stable employment due to caregiving responsibilities. They frequently use their own resources to meet children’s needs, deepening their financial hardship.
• Exclusion from Decision-Making: Despite being the primary caregivers with the most comprehensive understanding of the children, carers are often excluded from case planning and key decision-making, which impacts the child’s care and outcomes.
• Lack of Independent Advocacy: Carers face a significant gap in independent advocacy and complaints mechanisms, leaving them unsupported when treated unfairly or when a child’s wellbeing is at risk.
• Inconsistent State Systems: The child protection system varies significantly across regions and agencies, creating a postcode lottery that results in inconsistent services and disparities in support, further disadvantaging children and carers alike.

Key Recommendations

1. National Framework for Carer Rights: Develop a legislated national carer charter that ensures consistency across states and territories.
2. Carer Inclusion in Decision-Making: Ensure carers are included in all case planning, decisions, and reviews related to the child in their care, supported by law and practice standards.
3. Independent Advocacy and Complaints Body: Establish a federal or state-level independent authority specifically to hear, investigate, and act on carer concerns.
4. Financial Equity for Carers: Review and revise carer payments to ensure they reflect the true costs of care, fully covering expenses and relieving carers from being financially burdened. Carers should not be left out-of-pocket for the essential care they provide, and superannuation contributions should be included to acknowledge their long-term commitment and sacrifices.
5. A National Carer Council: Create a council made up of carers and people with lived experience to advise governments on policy, reform, and carer needs.

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Conclusion

Foster and kinship carers are essential to the child protection system, bringing invaluable expertise, knowledge, and unwavering dedication to their roles. They are not just volunteers but lived-experience experts who deserve full recognition for their exceptional training and commitment. It is essential that carers are not only acknowledged but treated with the respect and support they deserve. Listening to carers and involving them in decision-making is not merely a courtesy; it is fundamental to the wellbeing and long-term stability of the children in their care. We must move beyond superficial gestures and commit to meaningful, systemic change that fully values carers as essential partners in safeguarding and healing Australia’s most vulnerable children.