Emergency Kinship Care Victoria: What to Do When a Child Is Placed With You Suddenly

The First 48 Hours

A child arrives at your door — maybe the police brought them, maybe a family member dropped them off, maybe a parent simply did not come back. The reasons are painful and the timing is never convenient. What matters right now is the practical sequence: keep the child safe, get the immediate costs covered, and start the paperwork trail that unlocks every payment and concession you are entitled to.

Here is what to do, in roughly the order it matters.

Immediate Needs (Day 1)

Safe sleeping arrangement. If you do not have a bed, cot, or appropriate bedding, note that DFFH-connected Community Service Organisations and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations administer flexible brokerage funds that can purchase essential items like bedding and safety equipment. If Child Protection is involved, ask the caseworker about a First Supports referral. If not, a local community agency or Salvos store can bridge the gap.

Food and essentials. The costs start immediately. If money is tight, contact your local council about emergency hardship relief or call the Victorian Government's concessions information line.

Medication. If the child takes regular medication, find out what it is, the dosage, and who prescribed it. Contact the prescribing GP or present at a pharmacy with whatever information you have.

Write down the date. Record the date the child came into your care. This becomes your "start of care" date for every Centrelink claim and concession application.

Week One: Start the Paperwork Trail

Call Centrelink's Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Advisers (1800 245 965). This is a dedicated line for non-parent carers. They can help you identify relevant payments, arrange specialist appointments, and check what care evidence to prepare. Do this before trying to navigate the online system alone.

Lodge your Family Tax Benefit claim. FTB Part A and Part B are the main ongoing payments. FTB may be backdated to the start of the current financial year, or to the previous financial year in confirmed special circumstances. Contact Services Australia promptly to record the care start date and ask whether you can lodge before all evidence is ready and submit supporting documents later.

Get a Statutory Declaration witnessed. Complete the Victorian Informal Carer Statutory Declaration stating you are the child's primary carer. Have it witnessed by a justice of the peace, pharmacist, or police officer. This single document serves school enrolment, GP registration, the Carer Card application, and your Centrelink evidence.

Register with a GP. Take the child to a GP and register as the primary carer. Ask the practice to note your role in their system. This creates a medical record from day one and gives you a GP letter for Centrelink evidence.

Week Two: School and Concessions

Enrol the child in school. Contact the nearest school and explain the situation. The Informal Carer Statutory Declaration replaces a court order or parental signature for enrolment in Victorian government schools. Ask immediately about CSEF ($400 per year for school activities) and State Schools' Relief (free uniforms and supplies).

Apply for the Victorian Carer Card. The Statutory Declaration you already have satisfies the verification requirement. Apply online for faster processing (4–6 weeks versus 8–10 weeks by mail). The carer-coded myki gives you 50% off public transport.

Ask Services Australia how to apply for the Foster Child Health Care Card. It is non-means-tested for eligible non-parent carers and gives the child concessional PBS prescriptions; the card can also support CSEF eligibility.

If Child Protection Is Involved

If DFFH placed the child with you through a child protection referral, the process is different. Your caseworker should initiate your endorsement (Form A and Form B in the DFFH system), which activates the fortnightly care allowance. For placements expected to exceed three months, child protection guidelines require a First Supports referral within 21 days; ask your caseworker whether placement brokerage is available for essential purchases.

Even with DFFH endorsement, lodge your Centrelink claims separately — Commonwealth payments (FTB, ACCS) are assessed independently of DFFH and stack on top of the state care allowance.

The One Thing Not to Delay

Lodge the Centrelink claim promptly and ask how backdating applies. FTB may be backdated to the start of the current financial year, or to the previous financial year in confirmed special circumstances.

The Victoria Kinship Carer Support guide maps out the full sequence — from the first day through to all payments, concessions, school enrolment, and medical consent — organised by your care arrangement type.

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