ACT Foster and Kinship Care Subsidy: Who Gets It, Rates and How It Works

Who Receives the ACT Subsidy

The ACT Foster and Kinship Care Subsidy is paid by the Community Services Directorate (CSD) to approved carers who are looking after a child placed through child protection. The child must be subject to a statutory order — either a short-term or interim care order through the ACT Children's Court, or an Enduring Parental Responsibility (EPR) order under the Children and Young People Act 2008.

Informal kinship carers — grandparents and relatives who stepped in through a private family arrangement without CYPS involvement — are not eligible for this subsidy. The ACT does not have a separate informal carer allowance at the territory level.

This is the single biggest financial distinction between informal and statutory kinship care in the ACT.

How the Subsidy Is Structured

The Foster and Kinship Care Subsidy is paid fortnightly and structured across progressive age bands that reflect escalating costs as children grow. CSD adjusts the rates periodically. The subsidy is designed to offset the basic costs of food, housing, clothing, personal care and leisure for the child.

The payment is tax-exempt. It does not count as assessable income on your ATO tax return, and it is not included in Centrelink income tests or child support calculations.

Extra Expense Reimbursements

Beyond the standard subsidy, CSD can reimburse or directly fund approved exceptional expenses. These require prior written authorisation from your assigned CYPS case manager or partner agency case manager. Eligible expenses include:

• Educational costs — school uniforms, compulsory book packs, excursions, specialist subject fees
• Health and medical gaps — out-of-pocket costs for specialist appointments, prescriptions, dental work and psychological therapy not covered by Medicare or the NDIS
• Establishment costs — emergency bedding, bedroom furniture, safety equipment and initial clothing when a child first arrives
• Transport and respite — travel for birth family contact visits, therapy appointments and planned respite care

Keep all receipts and get written approval before incurring the expense. Carers ACT's advocacy service (02 6296 9965) can help you draft written requests for discretionary CSD reimbursements.

The Assessment Process

If a child protection concern brings a child into the system and a relative is identified as a potential carer, the Kinship Assessment and Support Team within CYPS conducts the assessment. They evaluate your suitability, facilitate the authorisation process and manage the initial support arrangements.

The Cultural Services Team handles assessments involving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, ensuring cultural connection and compliance with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle.

Accredited partner agencies — Barnardos Australia, Key Assets, OzChild and the Australian Childhood Foundation — may handle day-to-day case management once the placement is established.

Enduring Parental Responsibility Orders

EPR orders transfer long-term legal responsibility to the carer until the child turns 18. Under an EPR, CSD reduces its case management involvement, but the Foster and Kinship Care Subsidy continues (subject to policy review). The carer gains the authority to make day-to-day decisions including educational and routine medical choices without CSD sign-off.

If You Are an Informal Carer

If you are caring for a relative's child without CSD involvement, the ACT territory subsidy is not available. Some Commonwealth payments may be available to eligible informal carers; each has its own criteria. Family Tax Benefit depends on actual care, while Carer Allowance, the Foster Child Health Care Card and the Additional Child Care Subsidy (Grandparent) have their own eligibility rules.

The ACT Kinship Carer Support guide maps both the territory and Commonwealth pathways side by side, so you can see exactly what applies to your arrangement.

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