The Department of Communities is distributing one-off payments of $500 to foster and family carers aimed at easing financial pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
An estimated 7,359 children living in carer households are expected to benefit from the financial boost, which will be provided directly to foster and family carers, community sector organisation foster carers, special guardian carers and grand-carers in September.
Minister for Child Protection, Simone McGurk said the payments, totalling $3.68 million, would assist with buying essential items and covering additional expenses to ensure children remained safe, healthy and connected to school.
“Carers will receive one-off payments of $500 for the first child in their care, and $250 for each additional child in their household,” Ms McGurk said.
She said her Department was also in the process of finalising a report on the Foster Care Refresh project, which had involved consultations across the State to ensure the Department and foster carers were working together to deliver the best possible outcomes for children in care.
“Foster carers, grand-carers and special guardian carers do incredible work day-in-day-out, and we know that work became more challenging at the height of the pandemic,” the Minister said.
“These carers stepped up when the vulnerable children in their care were kept home from school to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and asking questions about why they were being made to stay at home.”
She said the payment would go some way to helping carers out and acknowledging their often unsung work.