Financial help
Foster carers have told us that people who look after children do it because they want to make a difference in a child’s life. To support this we provide financial help to meet the day-to-day expenses that looking after a child involves.
Caregiver allowance
A care allowance is paid fortnightly and covers board, personal items and pocket money. This allowance varies according to the child’s age.
We also provide a 4-weekly clothing allowance, and allowances for Christmas and birthday presents.
The rates, set out in the table below, are effective from 1 April 2017.
|
Age of child |
Weekly care allowance |
Birthday and |
Four-weekly clothing rate |
Weekly pocket money |
|
0 – 4 years |
$147.65 |
$73.83 |
$79.47 |
$2.10 |
|
5 – 9 years |
$171.35 |
$85.67 |
$90.06 |
$6.50 |
|
10 – 13 years |
$189.07 |
$94.54 |
$111.22 |
$9.80 |
|
14 + years |
$206.71 |
$103.36 |
$133.51 |
$15.10 |
|
Family home caregivers |
$192.74 |
$96.37 |
As above |
As above |
*Pocket money is included in the weekly care allowance rate, except for Family Home caregivers who receive this as an additional amount.