There’s lots to consider when you’re thinking about becoming a foster carer. For instance, what kind of care is right for you, or how to talk to your family about foster care. Planning, financially, is no less important, so we’ve put together a basic guide to to understand the foster care payments carers are entitled to in Queensland.
What foster care payments are available in Queensland?
Foster and kinship carers are entitled to a carer allowance. It’s paid to carers from the Queensland State Government. As of January 2025, foster carers are paid a base allowance between $623.00 and $729.68 per fortnight*. The amount of payment that you receive varies, depending on the age and needs of the child or young person in your care, and the allowance increases annually, in line with inflation. Allowances are calculated pro rata – so for example, if you provide respite care two weekends per month, your foster carer allowance will be calculated based on the portion of each fortnight that you’re providing care.
What does the fortnightly foster care allowance cover?
The fortnightly foster care allowance covers the day-to-day costs of caring for your foster child. This includes things like clothes and shoes, food, bus tickets, visits to the doctor, toys, pocket money and household goods. Some other one-off expenses may be approved for reimbursement by your Child Safety Officer, depending on the circumstances – this is something you can discuss with your care team. An irregular expense could be the costs involved with medical bills, education costs (like field trips), or travelling for family contact reasons.
Foster care is a voluntary undertaking, so it’s likely that there will be times when you’ll incur expenses that the foster carer payments may not cover. This is something you should consider when you’re thinking about becoming a foster carer – how will caring for your foster child impact your financial situation?
What about when I start fostering?
When a child is first granted a child protection order, there’ll be an establishment allowance. This assists with the one-off costs that may arise when a child is first placed into foster care. This payment may take several months to process and is only granted if the child has a protection order. It helps to think about the initial costs you might have to pay for, out of pocket, when planning to become a carer.
Anytime that a child in foster care moves to a new placement, that is longer than five days, there’s a start-up allowance to cover basic items that they might need. This could include nappies, new clothes or other essentials.
The items bought with both these carer allowances will generally belong to the child, so if they move on to a different placement you should make sure they take all these items with them.
Is the foster care allowance different for foster children with high or complex needs?
If the cost of caring for your foster child consistently exceeds the standard fortnightly foster parent payment, due to expenses such as high ongoing medical or psychological fees, a High Support Needs Allowance (HSNA) or Complex Support Needs Allowance (CNSA) may be available. The Department of Child Safety determines the allowance for children with complex needs.
Foster carers of children with complex support needs receive an additional $284.06- $851.34, depending on the complexity level.
How much do emergency carers get paid in foster care payments?
Emergency foster carers get paid the same as other foster carers. The allowances is calculated on a pro-rate basis. For example, if you provide emergency care for three days, your allowance will be calculated based on the portion of each fortnight that you’re providing care.
How much do you get for fostering children of different ages?
The fortnightly foster payment amount currently increases between the ages of children. For instance, carers of children aged:
- 0 to 5 years old receive $623.00
- 6 to 10 years old receive $671.30
- 11+ years old receive $729.68.
*These figures are based on the foster caring allowance as of January 2024.
Are kinship carers eligible for financial compensation?
Like fosters carers, kinship carers may also be eligible for kinship care allowances. This may depend on the custody arrangements they have with the child’s parents. Or it depends on whether there’s a child protection order in place.
What else do I need to know about finance and foster care?
It’s important to remember this is an allowance and not considered as income for tax purposes. This means it isn’t reported as income on your tax return. Therefore, if you’re applying for a loan, a mortgage or car loan, it won’t be considered by your lender. You may also be eligible for other financial support. For instance a federal family tax benefit, discounts at certain businesses and smoke alarm subsidy. Get more information on financial support available to foster carers, visit the Queensland Government website.
For more information about foster and kinship care, more generally, including inspiring foster care stories, download our Foster Care Information Kit