Foster care quiz
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Frequently asked questions
Base caring allowances in Queensland currently sit in the mid-hundreds of dollars per fortnight per child, increasing with the child’s age and needs. Additional payments help with start-up costs and extracurricular activities. During your assessment, Anglicare provides up-to-date figures and helps you plan a realistic household budget so money supports the child’s needs without becoming the main reason to care.
There are thousands of foster and kinship carers in Queensland, but still not enough for every child who needs a home. Recent data shows around 5,800 carer families statewide, while about 11,000 children require care at any one time. That gap is why Anglicare keeps inviting new carers to step forward—every extra safe home matters.
The carer allowance is intended to reimburse day-to-day costs rather than pay a salary. It helps cover essentials like food, uniforms, transport, phone data and activities, and is indexed annually to reflect living costs. If you progress through Anglicare’s information and assessment process, we’ll go through sample budgets with you so you can see how the allowance works in practice.
There isn’t really an “easiest” age to foster. Babies and toddlers need constant hands-on care and sleepless nights, while primary-aged children are navigating school and friendships, and teens bring big feelings and life decisions. Anglicare’s matching process focuses on which child’s needs best fit your household, skills and energy, then provides training and support specific to that age group.
You don’t “pick” a child like choosing from a list, but you are part of a careful matching process. Anglicare looks at your household, skills, culture, location and preferences, then only suggests placements where there’s a good fit. You can say yes or no to any placement, and over time many carers develop a strong sense of which children they’re best equipped to support.