Kinship Carer Support Groups in Canberra and the ACT

Carers ACT: The Starting Point

Carers ACT is the primary carer organisation in the ACT, funded by the territory government to support all unpaid carers — including grandparents and relatives raising a child. Their Kinship and Foster Carers Advocacy Service provides independent support workers, and their online Resource Hub at knfcarers.au connects you to peer networks, information sessions and practical advice.

Contact Carers ACT at (02) 6296 9900 or the Kinship and Foster Carers Advocacy Service directly at (02) 6296 9965. They do not require a CSD referral — you can ring them whether your arrangement is informal or statutory.

Through the Carer Gateway program (administered locally by Carers ACT), you can also access free respite planning, emergency home support, therapeutic counselling and carer coaching sessions. These services are available to all unpaid carers, not only those in statutory placements.

Peer Support Networks

Peer support — talking to another grandparent or relative who has been through the same Centrelink forms, the same school enrolment conversations, the same 2 a.m. worries — is something no government factsheet provides. Several options operate across Canberra:

• Carers ACT peer support is available to kinship and foster carers. Contact Carers ACT to ask what groups or events are currently running.
• Grandparents Raising Grandchildren networks operate nationally, with some ACT-based members connecting through online platforms and regional meetups. The national Grandparents Raising Grandchildren organisation maintains a referral list.
• Online forums and Facebook groups — national Australian kinship carer groups on Facebook provide a space to ask questions, share experiences and find local contacts. Search for groups like "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Australia" or "Kinship Carers Australia."

Child and Family Centres

The ACT Government runs three Child and Family Centres, located in Tuggeranong, West Belconnen and Gungahlin. These centres offer drop-in family support, parenting advice, supported playgroups and referrals to specialist services.

While they do not process Centrelink claims or issue formal care documentation, they are a valuable first contact point — especially if you have just taken on a child and need immediate practical guidance. Staff can connect you with community services, housing support and early childhood programs.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families can access Koori playgroups and culturally safe family programs at these centres.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Support

For First Nations kinship carers, Gugan Gulwan Youth Aboriginal Corporation provides family support, youth programs and community advocacy in the Canberra region. The CSD Cultural Services Team (02 6207 2228) is specifically dedicated to ensuring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care maintain connections to family, community and culture.

These services operate under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Placement Principle, which prioritises placement with extended family and community.

Free Counselling and Crisis Support

Kinship care often begins with trauma — a family emergency, an illness, a death — and the emotional weight does not stop once the paperwork starts. Free support options include:

• Carer Gateway (through Carers ACT) — counselling and respite planning at no cost
• Relationships Australia Canberra — family mediation, counselling, and dispute resolution services. Useful if you are navigating ongoing contact arrangements with birth parents.
• Lifeline (13 11 14) and Beyond Blue (1300 224 636) for immediate emotional support

Getting the Administrative Side Organised

Support groups help with the emotional and social side of kinship care. For the practical side — which payments to claim, which forms to lodge, how to prove care to Centrelink without a court order — the ACT Kinship Carer Support Guide walks through every step, with worksheets for tracking claims, expenses and care evidence.

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