The Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare (the Centre) is celebrating the launch of Parliamentary Friends of Foster Carers and Children in Foster Care in Canberra today, highlighting the challenges faced by 45,000 children and young people in out-of-home care across Australia.
As the peak for child and family services in Victoria and Tasmania, the Centre has campaigned for Commonwealth support for foster carers, joining the recently created National Foster Care Sustainability Group’s campaign for national support services for children and carers.
The Centre’s CEO Deb Tsorbaris says Victoria and Tasman understand the economic value of foster care and the need to sustain and retain existing carers and attract new carers.
“Nationally, we see a steep decline in the number of people going through the accreditation process to become foster carers, yet the demand for homes remains constant.
“Improving access to healthcare, providing therapeutic supports to children and young people, reducing the financial pressure on foster carers, and creating equitable workplace entitlements, will encourage more Australian to become foster carers and sustain the carers who are already doing an incredible job,” says Ms Tsorbaris.
Alongside the National Foster Care Sustainability Group, the Centre is advocating for three critical reforms:
- Prioritised access to Medical and Therapeutic Support, through the introduction of a card system that ensures all children in care have better access and financial supports to essential medical, therapeutic, and developmental services.
- Reducing Financial Pressure on Foster Carers, by raising the ATO tax-free threshold for foster carers, easing financial pressures and enabling higher carer allowances without tax burdens.
- More Equitable Leave for Foster Carers, by adjusting the National Employment Standards to help foster carers in paid employment to start or continue fostering. Foster carers fulfil a parenting-type role but are not currently afforded the same supports. Extending these benefits to foster carers ensures an equitable home experience for children.
“The Centre’s 2022 report on the economic value of foster care estimated that foster carers in Victoria generate economic benefits of $80 million each year,” says Ms Tsorbaris.
The Cube Report showed that foster carers in Victoria provide some 1.9 million hours of active caregiving each year and $453 million in avoided costs of placing children in alternative forms of care. These economic benefits are the equivalent of 30 percent of the total Victorian Government investment in child protection and family services, resulting in more than $4 of direct economic benefits for every $1 invested in supporting foster care.
“Giving children loving homes with foster carers who provide stability and kindness during a very vulnerable time is vital. We know the value of foster carers is more than just economic returns. Living in a foster care home greatly improves the lives of children and their families and is important in helping to repair families and get children home,” she says.
“It makes sense for the Commonwealth to step in and support something that is so valuable. These simple measures will help states and territories to sustain their current carers and build a pool of new carers.
“The Government has an opportunity to show leadership and partner with states and territories to protect Australia’s most vulnerable children,” Ms Tsorbaris says.
Economic assessments from Lumenia[2] estimate $1.2 billion in long-term financial benefits from the proposed national policy reforms, including improved health outcomes, increased placement stability, and greater economic participation. The proposed changes would also generate significant savings for governments through reduced future service provision costs.
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