How to Become an Approved Kinship Carer in Queensland

The difference between an informal kinship carer and an approved kinship carer in Queensland is not just a label — it determines whether you can access the state's fortnightly caring allowance, start-up payments, high support needs funding, and the extracurricular activities boost. Approved carers receive thousands of dollars more per year than informal carers, who rely entirely on Commonwealth Centrelink payments.

Approval is a Child Safety process tied to a specific child and a formal care arrangement.

The Key Distinction

Approved kinship carers in Queensland are relatives or people with a significant relationship to a child who has been brought into the formal child protection system under the Child Protection Act 1999 (Qld). The child must be subject to a child protection order, assessment order, or care agreement — meaning Child Safety has formally intervened.

If you are caring for a child through a private family arrangement (the parents asked you to take the child, or you stepped in during a family crisis without departmental involvement), you are an informal carer. Queensland's state carer allowances require a statutory care arrangement through Child Safety. Contact Child Safety to discuss whether the child's circumstances fit that process.

How the Process Works

1. Child Safety involvement — the process starts when Child Safety assesses a child as needing protection. If the child is already living with a relative, Child Safety may approach you about becoming an approved carer for the child they are placing or have already placed informally

2. Provisional approval — in urgent situations, Child Safety can grant provisional approval to place a child with a relative quickly while the full assessment is completed. Provisional carers receive the fortnightly caring allowance from the start of the placement

3. Blue Card screening — approved carers and adult household members must hold a blue card or exemption card. A provisional approval can allow a placement to start while required blue card applications are processed; the required cards must be issued before provisional approval expires. Child Safety can help you apply

4. Carer assessment — a Child Safety officer or delegated assessor conducts a carer assessment that includes:

   • Background checks (criminal history, domestic violence history, child protection history)
   • Home safety assessment
   • Interviews with you and other household members
   • Assessment of your capacity to meet the child's needs
   • Referee checks

5. Approval decision — the CSSC Manager approves or declines the application based on the assessment. If approved, you are formally registered as an approved kinship carer for that specific child

6. Ongoing support — approved carers receive a caseworker, access to training, respite care, and the full suite of state financial allowances

What If You Are Currently an Informal Carer?

If Child Safety has not been involved in your situation, you cannot simply apply to become an approved carer. The approval process is tied to a child protection intervention, not to a carer application form.

However, there are circumstances where Child Safety may become involved with a child already in informal kinship care:

• If you make a report to Child Safety about the child's birth parents and the department investigates and substantiates harm or risk of harm
• If the child was previously known to Child Safety and the department re-engages
• If the child's school, doctor, or another mandatory reporter raises concerns

In these situations, if Child Safety determines the child needs a formal care arrangement, they may work with you to formalise your existing care through the approval process.

It is important to understand that reporting concerns to Child Safety in order to trigger the approval process is not recommended as a strategy to access financial support. Child Safety reports should be made only when there are genuine concerns about a child's safety and wellbeing.

The Financial Difference

The gap between informal and approved kinship care is significant:

• Informal carer: Commonwealth payments only (FTB, possibly DOP and CCS)
• Approved carer: All of the above, plus fortnightly caring allowance ($652.40–$763.98 depending on age), establishment payment ($702.94), start-up allowance ($141.26), extracurricular activities boost ($1,500/year), and access to high/complex support needs allowances

For detailed guidance on navigating both the informal and formal care systems in Queensland, including every payment and form, see our Queensland kinship carer support guide.

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