Newborn Supplement and Upfront Payment for Grandparent Kinship Carers

What the Newborn Supplement Is

The Newborn Supplement is an additional Centrelink payment that may be added to Family Tax Benefit Part A when an eligible child under one enters a carer's family. Services Australia assesses eligibility and any interaction with other payments, including Parental Leave Pay.

There are two components:

• Newborn Supplement: an additional amount that may be added to FTB Part A when an eligible child under one enters your care; Services Australia assesses the amount and payment period under current rules
• Newborn Upfront Payment: a one-off payment that may be available with FTB Part A when an eligible child under one enters your care; ask Services Australia to confirm the current amount and payment timing

Can Kinship Carers Claim It?

They may be available to a kinship carer who qualifies for FTB Part A when a child under one enters their care. Services Australia assesses eligibility and any interaction with other payments, including Parental Leave Pay. If a baby comes to live with you through a formal DFFH placement or an informal family arrangement, ask Services Australia whether the Newborn Supplement or Upfront Payment applies; neither should be assumed to be automatic.

The Practical Scenario

A common situation in kinship care: a grandparent or aunt takes on a newborn because the birth mother is unable to care for the baby due to addiction, mental health issues or family violence. The baby comes home from hospital to the kinship carer's house.

In this case:

1. Call 1800 245 965 (Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser) as soon as the baby arrives. Tell them you have a newborn in your care and need to claim FTB Part A
2. Provide proof of care — hospital discharge paperwork naming you as taking the baby home, a letter from the hospital social worker, the child's birth certificate if available, or a statutory declaration
3. Ask how other payments affect eligibility, including any Parental Leave Pay claim for the child
4. Ask Services Australia to confirm whether the Newborn Supplement or Upfront Payment applies, the amount, and the payment schedule

Timing Matters

FTB Part A may increase through the Newborn Supplement and Upfront Payment when a child under one enters care. The exact payment period depends on current rules and your circumstances, so confirm it with Services Australia, especially if care begins close to the child's first birthday.

FTB claims are generally backdated to the beginning of the current financial year; backdating into the previous financial year is limited to special circumstances. CCS and ACCS can generally be backdated only up to 28 days before the claim. Contact Services Australia promptly rather than assuming backdating will preserve newborn-related payments.

The message is clear: claim as early as possible.

What About the Birth Parent's Claim?

If the birth parent was receiving FTB Part A for the child, Services Australia may assess competing claims and the actual care arrangement. It does not automatically transfer payments to you; provide evidence of care and ask how the assessment affects any Newborn Supplement or Upfront Payment.

This can create a delay while Centrelink resolves the overlapping claims. Ask the Grandparent Adviser to flag the case as time-sensitive given the child's age.

Other Payments for a Newborn in Kinship Care

Beyond the Newborn Supplement, a kinship carer with a baby may also be entitled to:

• FTB Part B — provides extra support for single-income families with a child under 13
• Parenting Payment (Single) — if you are a single carer and the baby is your youngest child, you may qualify for this income-tested payment
• Foster Child Health Care Card — a non-means-tested card that may provide an eligible child with lower-cost PBS medicines and local concessions; it does not guarantee bulk-billed medical care
• DFFH care allowance — if DFFH endorses the placement, the Level 1 rate for age 0–7 is $473.66 per fortnight

The Victoria Kinship Carer Support Guide walks through the full set of Centrelink claims available when a child of any age enters your care, with specific guidance on the timing-sensitive newborn payments.

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