Adult household members

Child Safety needs to know who is living with you or regularly spending time in your home, as this person will likely have some contact with the child we have placed in your care. You are required by law to provide this information to Child Safety (Child Protection Act 1999, section 141G).

About adult household members

An adult household member is anyone who lives in your home or your property and is aged 18 years or older. This would include your adult children, extended family members and friends, tenants or boarders, or a child who was previously in care but is now over 18 of age.

An adult household member may also be another adult who does not live with you but is a regular or frequent visitor to your home or property. This may include a new partner, as well as extended family members and others in your personal network who have regular and frequent contact with your household. Although they are not residents, the nature of their contact might present a risk of harm to the child in your care if they are not appropriately checked.

Sometimes it is difficult to work out if the nature of someone's contact with you and your family means they are considered adult household members. If you are uncertain, talk to your agency support worker or your Child Safety Officer.

An adult household member does not include a parent of the child in your care, either if they are residing with you or if they are a regular and frequent visitor.

All adult household members are required by law to hold a blue card or exemption card prior to joining an approved foster or kinship carer household. Where an adult household member is part of a provisional approval carer application, the adult household member is not required to hold a blue card or exemption card but will need to apply for and be granted a blue card prior to the provisional approval expiring.

Your obligations

You are required to tell Child Safety in writing if there is an adult who is sharing your home with you, or if there is an intention for a new adult to share your home with you, or to be a regular visitor to your home. You can do this by completing a Change in carer circumstances form (PDF), and providing it to your child safety service centre.

Read more about changes in carer circumstances.

If a person ceases being an adult household member you must advise Child Safety in writing by completing a Change in carer circumstances form (PDF)

The decision about whether or not someone is a household member will be made by the child safety service centre Manager. They will take into account the nature and context of this person's contact with the child placed into your care (Child Protection Act 1999 schedule 3).

If it is determined that the arrangement does or will meet the legal definition of an adult household member, that person, if they don't already hold a blue card or exemption card, will be required to apply for and be issued with a blue card or exemption card prior to joining or visiting your carer household.

Read more about Blue cards and exemption cards for foster or kinship carers.