High Support Needs and Complex Support Needs Allowance in Queensland

Some children in kinship care have needs that go well beyond what the standard fortnightly caring allowance covers — serious behavioural challenges, complex medical conditions, or disabilities that require constant supervision. Queensland's High Support Needs Allowance (HSNA) and Complex Support Needs Allowance (CSNA) provide additional financial support for approved carers looking after these children.

Who Can Access These Allowances

Both HSNA and CSNA are only available to approved carers under the Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld) — that means approved foster carers, approved kinship carers, provisionally approved carers, and long-term or permanent guardians. If your arrangement is informal (no Child Safety involvement), these allowances are not available.

The allowances are paid in addition to the base fortnightly caring allowance, not instead of it.

High Support Needs Allowance (HSNA)

The HSNA provides an extra $229.74 per fortnight (2026 rate) for carers looking after a child assessed as having verified high support needs.

To receive HSNA, the child must undergo a formal assessment by the Child Safety Service Centre (CSSC) confirming high support needs. The assessment evaluates the child's strengths and needs, and approval is granted by the CSSC Manager.

Complex Support Needs Allowance (CSNA)

The CSNA is for children with more severe or complex needs and is paid at three levels, reflecting the intensity of care required:

CSNA Level 3 at $891.38 per fortnight is one of the highest supplementary payments in Queensland's carer allowance system. Combined with the base caring allowance, a carer looking after a child aged 11+ with Level 3 complex needs could receive $763.98 + $891.38 = $1,655.36 per fortnight from the state alone, before any Commonwealth payments.

How the Assessment Works

The CSNA assessment considers the child's strengths, needs, and extraordinary costs incurred by the carer. The CSSC Manager approves the allowance. Contact your CSSC to ask how to request an assessment and what information to provide.

If you disagree with an assessment outcome, ask your CSSC which review pathway applies. QCAT can review only decisions listed as reviewable under the Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld); for a reviewable decision, you generally have 28 days to apply after receiving the decision.

Interaction with NDIS

If the child has an NDIS plan, it may fund supports such as therapy or equipment included in the plan. Ask the CSSC how those supports and the child's additional daily care needs are considered in an HSNA or CSNA assessment.

For Informal Carers

If you are an informal kinship carer looking after a child with a disability or high medical needs, you cannot access HSNA or CSNA. However, you may be eligible for the Commonwealth Carer Allowance ($162.60 per fortnight, non-means-tested) if the child has a verified disability or medical condition requiring daily care. You may also qualify for Carer Payment if caring responsibilities prevent you from working.

Our Queensland kinship carer support guide maps out which payments are available depending on your care arrangement — informal, parenting order, or statutory — so you can identify every entitlement the child qualifies for.

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