Housing Assistance for Kinship Carers in South Australia

Why Housing Becomes Urgent for Kinship Carers

A one-bedroom unit that worked fine for a single pensioner stops working the moment a grandchild — or two — moves in. When a child arrives suddenly in a kinship carer's home, the housing that was adequate yesterday is now overcrowded, and landlords or housing providers notice. Kinship carers in South Australia face a particular squeeze: they are often older, on fixed incomes, and living in housing that was sized for their post-retirement life, not for raising children again.

The market research on South Australian kinship carers paints a stark picture: approximately two-thirds of informal carers live below the poverty line. Adding a child's bedroom, school space, and belongings to a household that was already tight on money and square metres is one of the first practical crises carers face.

SA Housing Trust (Public and Community Housing)

The SA Housing Trust manages public housing registrations and works with community housing providers across the state. Kinship carers can register for public housing through the SA Housing Trust:

Priority housing. Category 1 is for registrants assessed as homeless and at risk whose accommodation history and available housing options show that private housing is unsuitable in the long term. Overcrowding and the circumstances of everyone on the application are considered, but a child entering your care does not by itself qualify you for Category 1.

Transfer requests. If you are already in public housing but the property is too small for the children now in your care, you can request a transfer to a larger property. Transfer applications are prioritised based on overcrowding and need.

How to apply. Register through the SA Housing Trust or a community housing provider. You will need identification, proof of income (pension statements, Centrelink letters), and information about everyone included in the application.

Wait times vary significantly by region and property size. Metropolitan Adelaide can involve long waits for three-bedroom properties. Regional centres such as Mount Gambier or Port Augusta may have shorter queues, but smaller property pools.

Private Rental Assistance

For carers in the private rental market, several forms of assistance exist:

Private Rental Assistance Program. The SA Housing Trust offers eligible private renters bond guarantees, rent in advance, or rent-arrears assistance. Eligibility is not automatic for people receiving the Age Pension or Parenting Payment; the Trust applies income, asset and rent limits, along with other program conditions.

Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA). If you receive Family Tax Benefit Part A or another qualifying Centrelink payment, you may be eligible for Rent Assistance — a fortnightly supplement added to your existing payment to help with private rental costs. CRA is paid automatically once you report your rent details to Centrelink; there is no separate application.

Real estate applications. Kinship carers competing in the private rental market face the same disadvantage as other low-income applicants: landlords and property managers prefer higher incomes. A letter from Centrelink confirming your payments, a reference from your current landlord, and a clear rental history help. Some property managers are unfamiliar with kinship care; a brief explanation and a copy of your statutory declaration can clarify the household composition.

Emergency and Crisis Accommodation

If you and the children have nowhere safe to sleep tonight:

• Homeless Connect SA (1800 003 308) — a free, statewide service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for information and referrals to homelessness services, including for families
• Grandcarers SA — can provide emergency referrals and connect you with material aid
• St Vincent de Paul / Salvation Army — offer emergency accommodation assistance and can help with immediate housing needs
• 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) — if the housing crisis involves family violence

Emergency accommodation is short-term by design. The goal is to stabilise the household while a longer-term housing solution is arranged.

Practical Steps

1. Contact the SA Housing Trust to register for public housing or request a transfer if your current property is overcrowded. Do this early — wait lists are long, and getting on the list starts the clock.
2. Report your rent to Centrelink if you have not already. Commonwealth Rent Assistance is paid automatically to eligible recipients but only once Centrelink knows your rental costs.
3. Ask Grandcarers SA about emergency relief if housing costs are pushing your household into crisis. Their intake coordinators can assess what support is available.
4. Document the children in your care — housing applications are stronger with proof that the children live with you (school enrolment letters, Medicare card listing, statutory declaration).

Our South Australia Kinship Carer Support guide covers the financial payments and paperwork that stabilise a kinship care household — including the Centrelink claims, School Card applications, and support services that reduce the total financial pressure on carers.

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