Print

Top questions about foster care

General

Who can be a foster carer?

Types of foster care

Training and Support

Process

Placement

General

What does being a carer involve?

Being a foster carer means opening your home to children and young people who you are not related to biologically; children and young people who can't live in their own home because they have experienced emotional, physical or sexual abuse or neglect, are at risk of experiencing one of these forms of harm, or cannot live at home for other reasons.

Children have different needs and require different types of care. The care you provide might be for a few nights, a few months, a few years, or longer. You might provide emergency care for children or give short breaks to other foster carers. You may have or develop special skills or preferences that will influence the type of care you provide. You choose the type of care that will suit you, your family and your lifestyle.

Where possible, children are reunited with their families as soon as possible. Carers are part of this process and help maintain ongoing relationships between children and their families.

What is the difference between kinship care and foster care?

Foster care is caring for children usually unknown to you who require care. Kinship care is caring for a child/children to whom you are a significant person and, for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander child, who you share a cultural connection.

Who can be a foster carer?

Do I have to be married? Can same sex couples apply?

Carers can be male, female, single, married or de facto, a same sex couple, working full or part time, and from any kind of cultural background. Anyone can apply to be a foster carer if they are committed to providing a safe, stable and supportive environment.

I work full time. Can I still be a foster carer?

You can work full time and be a foster carer. You would need to show how you are going to manage the additional responsibility of fostering and working full time. This will involve looking at any meetings that need to take place, contact for the child, sickness and other child-related events that may impact on your work commitments.

Is there an age limit in terms of being a mature person?

In Queensland you need to be over 18 to be assessed as a carer. There is no age limit but you do need to consider any health implications that may be affected by becoming a foster carer. You will need to complete a health and wellbeing form and identify any health issues. Child Safety will also seek medical clearance from your general practitioner.

Does my child have to be a certain age before I can consider fostering?

No your child does not need to be a specific age before you can consider fostering. If you do have young children you would need to consider the additional responsibilities placed on you as a family having a foster child, and how this would impact on the household.

Can I still be a foster carer if I’m renting?

Yes, you don’t have to own your own home to become a foster carer. No matter if you rent or own your own home, we are looking for people who are able to care for children in a safe, stable and supportive environment.

I don't have a big house – can I still be a foster carer?

No matter the size of your house we are looking for people who are able to care for children in a safe, stable and supportive environment. The number of children you are able to care for is a consideration we will make together as part of any carer assessment and much more than just the size of your house.

Do I need a car?

You are not required to have a car to be approved as a foster carer, but you would need to consider the additional responsibilities and the need to travel to appointments that the child may require, for example medical appointments, education, contact and meetings that take place.

Do I have to be an Australian citizen or permanent resident?

No, you do not have to be an Australian citizen or obtain residency to be able to apply to be a foster carer.

Can I be a foster carer if I’m a shift worker?

Yes, shift workers can be foster carers. There are different types of family-based care ranging from short break care, which may be for a weekend or during holidays, to long-term care. You can choose what suits your lifestyle.

Can I be a foster carer if I’m a FIFO worker?

Yes, Fly-In-Fly-Out (FIFO) workers can be foster carers. There are different types of family-based care, including short break care, which may be for a weekend or during holidays. You can choose what suits your lifestyle.

Can I become a carer if I have a history of mental illness?

Any assessment of a potential foster carer is on an individual basis, and this includes mental health issues. Having a history of mental illness does not mean someone is automatically excluded from becoming a foster carer.

Do I need a blue card to become a carer?

All foster and kinship carers and adult household members over 18 are legally required to hold a blue or exemption card to reside in the home. Find out more about Blue cards for foster and kinship carers.

Types of foster care

What are the different types of foster care?

Depending on your circumstances, there are different types of family-based care which may suit you, your family and your lifestyle. They include short-term care, long-term care, short break care and emergency care. Find out more about the different types of family-based care.

If I commit to short term care, can I change to other types of care later on?

Once you are approved you can change what type of care you would like to provide unless there are any restrictions on your certificate.

Training and support

What training and support is provided?

Before becoming a foster carer, you'll need to complete training which will equip you with the skills and knowledge to become a carer.

Training and other continuous learning opportunities will be facilitated by your Foster Care and Kinship Care Agency.

The training covers topics that will help you prepare to support a child or young person who has experienced trauma and ways to promote positive behaviours. Your foster care agency will provide support as you navigate the ups and downs of fostering.

This may include 24/7 support, support groups with other carers and ongoing training in how to manage and positively influence the behaviour of children and young people who may have suffered significant trauma in their lives.

Do you need to study or have a degree to become a carer?

There are no education requirements to become a foster carer. Foster carers are everyday people from all walks of life who are able to care for children in a safe, stable and supportive environment.

All foster carers will complete ‘getting ready to start’ training modules prior to being approved and then complete ‘starting out’ training modules, including specially developed trauma informed training for foster carers during your first 12 months as an approved carer. Your foster care agency will support you to access and complete this training.

Is the delivery of the training available online?

‘Getting ready to start’ and 'starting out’ training modules are mostly undertaken face-to-face and would generally be with a group of other foster carers. This will provide you with the opportunity to meet other people who may also become carers.

The specially developed trauma informed training, called Hope and Healing for Foster Care, can be completed online. Your foster care agency will provide and support you to access this training.

Are there ongoing learning opportunities?

Yes. Your foster care agency will work with you to identify continuous learning opportunities as part of your Foster Care Agreement and ongoing support.

Continuous learning modules will be provided by your foster care agency. You may also access available training externally from a range of providers within the community.

Is financial support provided?

To offset the cost of fostering, carers receive financial assistance that is tailored to the age of the child and the complexity of their needs. Allowances may cover items such as food, clothing, household provisions, gifts, pocket money, entertainment and other everyday costs of caring for a child. Find out more about carer allowances.

Are childcare costs subsidised?

The Australian Government’s Child Care Subsidy is a single means-tested subsidy paid directly to child care service providers to reduce the cost of child care. You may be eligible for the Additional Child Care Subsidy (child wellbeing) for up to 100 hours of subsidised child care per fortnight. While foster and kinship carers do not need to meet the activity test requirements for a child in care, they must still have applied and be eligible for Child Care Subsidy (even if their entitlement is zero), before being eligible for the Additional Child Care Subsidy (child wellbeing). All children in foster or kinship care who have been assessed as being in need of protection under the Child Protection Act 1999 will automatically satisfy the ‘at risk’ threshold for the Additional Child Care Subsidy (child wellbeing). Find out more about the child care subsidy.

What is the Carer Business Discount Card?

The Carer Business Discount Card scheme recognises the valuable contributions of carers throughout Queensland. All approved foster and kinship carers in Queensland will automatically receive the card, which entitles carers to a wide range of discounts on goods and services from participating businesses across the state. Find out more about the discount card.

Process

How long does it take to become a foster carer?

To ensure that applicants meet all the requirements set out in the Child Protection Act 1999, the process may take 3 to 6 months.

What are the costs related to the assessment process?

There are no costs relating to the assessment process for the applicants.

If I am pregnant, can I still go through the fostering process?

You can go through the assessment process if you are pregnant. You would need to consider the impact of having a newborn child and a child in placement if you were approved and how you would manage the additional responsibilities. You may choose to become a short-term carer while you have a baby.

I am moving in three months' time. Do I start the process now or wait until I move?

If you start the assessment process straight away, the property you are currently residing in would need to meet the requirements for you to provide care within the home.

This is due to the household safety check being undertaken quite early on in the application process and to provide you with the opportunity to make relevant changes to the home if required.

If you move during the assessment process, you will need to take another household safety check and depending on the location of the new property, you may need to change agencies as your current agency may not cover your location. All of your information will be provided to the new agency if required.

What is the household safety study?

As part of the application and assessment process, foster and kinship carers and assessors complete a Household Safety Study to ensure children in care have a safe space to stay. The intent of the study is to prevent injury to children in care by identifying potential risks in the proposed applicant’s household. Foster and kinship carers have an opportunity to address any concerns raised by the study.

If I was a carer previously do I need to undertake the assessment process again or just return to being a carer?

If you have previously been a foster carer and want to become one again you may be eligible to participate in a streamlined assessment process and you may begin caring again in as little as 6 weeks.

Depending upon the period of time since you completed carer training, we will provide tailored advice to inform you about changes you need to be aware of since you stopped being a foster carer.

It is unlikely that you will have to attend training you have previously completed, and we will talk to you about a tailored approach to your application, taking into account any changes to your household since you were last an approved carer.

If I was a carer interstate do I need to undertake the assessment process again?

If you have been a foster carer in a different state and moved to Queensland you will need to undertake the assessment process to be approved as a Queensland carer.

I want to foster but I think it would be too hard to see the child leave my care?

Once child protection concerns are addressed, children are reunited with their families as soon as possible. Carers are part of this process and help maintain ongoing relationships between children and their families. While it can be challenging to say goodbye to children when they return to their families, many carers say the rewards of sharing your life with a foster child far outweigh this and any other challenges.

What are the next steps?

Following your submission of an expression of interest form, Queensland Foster and Kinship Care will contact you and provide more information. This is your opportunity to ask questions and learn about the formal process to become a foster carer. You may be invited to attend an information session in your local area. To become a foster carer, you will be assisted to complete application forms, interviews and training. Find out more about the next steps.

Placement

How do you match children with placements?

During the assessment process you will be asked a number of questions in regards to what type of care you would like to provide, an age group that you may prefer to care for, behaviours that you feel may not match your skills, or your own home situation.

The assessor will gather enough information to determine what type of care you could provide, and if you are approved, this will also form part of a foster carer agreement that will provide Child Safety with enough information to match a child/children with you. It's up to you to accept or decline the placement when you are provided with the relevant information.

What challenges do children in care have?

Some children coming into care are in poor health—they may have developmental and mental health issues. They may need assessments, regular visits and check-ups from doctors and other health professionals.

Sometimes a child may have challenging behaviour that will require a range of support strategies for the child and the carers.

Can I determine an age, gender and behaviours that I would like to be placed in my care?

As part of the assessment process you can determine the age, gender and behaviours of a child that you would like to be placed with you if you are approved.

Can I see the child first before making the decision to have the child placed with me?

In most cases you will not meet the child prior to agreeing to the placement. You will be provided with all the relevant information about the child and their needs prior to accepting the placement.

Can I foster siblings?

During the assessment process you will be asked a number of questions in regard to what type of care you would like to provide, the number of children you feel comfortable caring for, an age group that you may prefer to care for, behaviours that you feel may not match your skills, or your own home situation. During the assessment you can highlight your interest in being able to care for sibling groups.

Do I have to have an empty room or can my children share with foster children?

To be approved as a foster carer you are not required to have an empty room. Foster children can share rooms with your own children if capacity is available, but you would need to consider the impact of room sharing.

A child may start to display behaviours that you could find difficult to manage when room sharing is occurring. It is beneficial for the child to feel a sense of their own space and privacy.

Will the child change schools?

When it comes to school locations, a child or young person entering care may not always attend a school in the carer's local area. It may not be in the child's best interest to move to another school closer to the carer's home as school may provide a place of consistency and stability for a child during a difficult time of entering care.

However, where a child is not attending a school in a carer's local area, the department may be able to provide support to the carer to assist with transporting a child or young person to school.

Can I still go on holidays or travel with a foster child?

Yes, a foster child may travel with their foster carer within Queensland for up to 3 nights when the travel is not in conflict with the case plan or family contact arrangements.

The foster child may also travel interstate or overseas with the foster carer depending on the type of child protection order, and provided consent is given by the child’s guardian (where guardianship is with Child Safety or the parents).

Can I still have guests stay over at my house?

Yes, foster carers may still have guests stay over for short term stay. If the guests extend to a longer live-in arrangement or are regular and frequent visitors to the carer household, even though they continue to have a primary residence elsewhere, they are considered adult household members and are legally required to hold a blue or exemption card.

If I would like to adopt my foster child, can this take place?

When children first come into care, every effort is made to assist the parent/s to resume care of the child. Where it is necessary for long term options to be explored for the child, the first preference is given to kin (extended family or community members known to the child).

Long term orders may be made with foster carers. More information on the types of care orders is available under Types of Childrens Court orders. Long-term orders are preferred over adoption as they provide the child with a permanent home while also preserving the child's identity, relationships with their birth family and connection to their culture of origin.

Last updated:
1 June 2021
Share this page: