Costs

The Costs of Caring:
A Study of Appropriate Foster Care Payments for Stable and Adequate Out of Home Care in Australia

Since the mid-eighties there has been growing disquiet among a number of major foster care organisations in relation to certain aspects of fostering. One aspect of concern is the low level of standard subsidy paid by States to foster carers to meet the costs of children in care. In addition there is concern that unless payments to carers are increased there will be great difficulty not only in recruiting and maintaining carers in fostering but in expanding the available number of carers.

In 2001 the Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia (CAFWAA), the Australian Foster Care Association (AFCA) and the Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies (ACWA) commissioned the Social Policy Research Centre (SPRC) at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) to examine the adequacy and effectiveness of foster care allowances in Australia. Funding for the project was received from the Ian Potter Foundation, a number of non-government agencies, the SPRC, and the Department of Families, Queensland. Foster carers and foster care associations provided in-kind support. The aim of the study was to contribute to an assessment of the adequacy of current subsidy payments in meeting the costs of children in care. The broad research objective was to establish a set of budgets to cover costs for children of specific ages and sex in home-based care. The rationale underlining this objective was to provide better information on the direct costs associated with fostering.

The report was published in 2002

Executive Summary available here
Order form (PDF - you will need Acrobat Reader)
Supplementary report on updated costings 2003
Supplementary report on updated costings 2005

The original Report was prepared for the
Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia
Australian Foster Care Association
and the
Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies
by Marilyn McHugh
Social Policy Research Centre
University of New South Wales
April 2002

This report was launched on June 6 2002 by Robert Fitzgerald, the NSW Commisioner for Community Services.

Nigel Spence, ACWA CEO; Bev Orr of the Australian Foster Care Association; and
Marilyn McHugh (SPRC) with Robert Fitzgerald at the launch

This research project was assisted by the Ian Potter Foundation

Back to ACWA site