The role of your caseworker
As a foster carer, you will have a Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) caseworker to guide and support you. Your caseworker will:
- Provide information to ensure you are prepared.
- Keep in contact with you and meet with you regularly in your home to identify and respond to your support needs over time.
- Complete annual carer reviews to identify further supports you may need, or training that may grow your knowledge and develop your skills.
- When friends or family aren’t available, you can also talk to your caseworker about whether formal respite care is an option if you need to have a rest.
DCJ psychological and specialist services
DCJ's Psychological and Specialist Services delivers the LINKS Carer Support Model to meet the needs of carers and children in NSW. It is focused on peer support, skill building and clinical care to ensure placement stability and carer wellbeing.
Services you can access include the following, depending on your level of need:
Carer drop-ins
Online Carer Drop-In sessions are educational presentations. This is followed by question time and the opportunity to chat with other carers. Carers build knowledge, skills and confidence, while developing a strong peer support network online. The sessions are casual and voluntary, providing a safe environment for carers to share their successes and challenges, offer advice and build important relationships.
Online group training
LINKS Carer Support offers an online training calendar to all carers, featuring courses such as Healing from Trauma, Endings and Beginnings, and You’ve Got This!
Online resources
The LINKS Training and Support website is available to all carers, providing a range of factsheets, webinars and tools. Resources are available in areas such as trauma-informed care; problematic and harmful sexual behaviour; positive behaviour support; family time; and self-care.
Individual training
Individual and small group training sessions are offered by specialist psychologists. Carers may share their stories and use examples to explore current behavioural challenges in-depth.
Systemic support
LINKS Carer Support can provide support for 'transition planning', which includes ensuring carers understand the needs of children at the beginning of a placement; and managing grief and loss at the end of placements.
Carer check-ins
Specialist psychologists work with carers to identify additional support needs such as training, skill building and referral opportunities. Carer check-ins also provide clinical support around care experiences like difficult behaviours, systemic challenges, and the grief and loss that comes with placement change.
Enhanced carer support
Enhanced carer support ensures that carers with extra support needs are supported. This is important for those with challenging or negative experiences that destabilise their care journey. Specialist psychologists can offer short-term support in areas including wellbeing and self-care; confidence and skill-building; grief and loss; challenging behaviours; and trauma-informed care. Six to ten sessions are available. Enhanced carer support does not deliver therapeutic intervention for complex mental health needs.
Tailored skill development
Tailored skill development is also available to support more complex placements. Carers are supported to develop knowledge, skills and confidence in caring for children with increased behavioural, functional, cognitive and mental health needs.
Speak to your DCJ caseworker for a referral to these services. This is a free service for DCJ carers.
Independent carer training, support and advocacy
Carers for Kids NSW is the main training, and support service for all carers in NSW. Carers for Kids NSW is funded by the NSW Government and operated by Adopt Change.
Carers for Kids have a free carer support line 1300 782 975 which is available 9am-5pm, Monday – Friday or you can contact them via their website.
Aboriginal Child, Family and Community Care Secretariat (AbSec) provides information, advocacy, training and support for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal carers of Aboriginal children in NSW.
AbSec have a free carer support line 1800 888 698 which is available 9am-5pm, Monday – Friday or you can contact them via their website.
Both of these services are free.
Training
Carers for Kids NSW delivers training across NSW, including remote and regional areas, both in person and online or via a recorded webinar. They host a range of training sessions, events and workshops throughout the year. Training sessions are designed to make you feel informed, supported and equipped for your critical role in caring for children and young people.
Topics include: Understanding trauma, parenting traumatised children, emotional regulation, challenging conversations and coping when a placement has ended and first aid training.
Support and advocacy
Sometimes you need someone to speak up on your behalf and advocate for your needs. Carers for Kids NSW and AbSec can work with you to resolve problems and guide you through challenging situations to improve your experience of care. Advocacy can also help you get the services you need and be treated with respect. If you want someone to advocate on your behalf, you can contact Carers for Kids NSW or AbSec.
Peer support groups
There are many foster carer support groups across NSW. These groups help you meet other carers, share advice and build support networks in your area. You’ll build resilience, learn new perspectives and approaches and may even make lifelong friendships. You can find out more about carer support groups through Carers for Kids NSW.
You can also join a Carers for Kids NSW “Catch up for a Cuppa” session where you meet up online with other carers.
AbSec provide networking opportunities for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal foster and kinship carers of Aboriginal children and young people throughout the year. You can find out more about these events on their website.
Carer advisory groups (CAGS)
As a foster carer you will have the opportunity to share your experiences and feedback, helping shape better programs and meaningful change across the care system. Carer Advisory Groups (CAGs) provide a collaborative space for carers to work alongside staff from non-government organisations and the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ).
You can find out more about joining a CAG at Carers for Kids NSW.
Therapy based services for carers
If you care for a child or young person who has experienced significant trauma, you can access therapy based services provided by specialist counsellors or clinical staff. These services can help the child or young person in your care as well as support you as their carer.
LINKS Trauma Healing Service
The LINKS Trauma Healing Service is an evidence-based service for children and young people in out-of-home care who have experienced trauma, and their carers. The service aims to improve the behaviour and emotional functioning of children and young people in out-of-home care.
LINKS Trauma Healing uses Trauma Informed Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TFCBT), Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), and Tuning in to Kids/Tuning in to Teens. There is flexibility in where these services can be delivered. Each child or young person will receive a Speech Pathology and Occupational Therapy check. If needed, they can also receive a psychiatric review.
For more information and to learn about the referral criteria, email: links@facs.nsw.gov.au or visit the LINKS Trauma Healing Service website.
LINKS Trauma Healing Service is a free service.
OurSPACE
This service provides specialist support from social workers and psychologists to children and young people under 15 years old and their carers. It aims to help children and young people in foster care stay in a stable home with their carer families for as long as they need to. Specialist support people can work with the child or young person and you and your family in your home.
There is also a version of this service for Aboriginal children and young people and their carers provided by Ngaoara and the Australian Childhood Foundation .
For more information and to learn about the referral criteria, speak to your caseworker or call 1300 381 581.
OurSPACE is a free service.
Carer allowance
A tax-free fortnightly payment is provided to foster carers to meet the care needs of the child. The allowance rate is based on the child in your care's assessed needs.
| Age range | Standard care | Care +1 | Care +2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-4 | $697 | $1,033 | $1,313 |
| 5-13 | $787 | $1,143 | $1,454 |
| 14-15 | $1,056 | $1,477 | $1,896 |
| 16-17 | $703 | $1,183 | $1,607 |
The care allowance is not considered assessable income for tax purposes and is not means-tested.
The care allowance increases each financial year due to indexation, which reflects changes in the cost of living, and is backdated where relevant.
Find out more about the increase to the care allowances from 1 January 2026.
Contingency payments
Sometimes, the child or young person in your care may need support that costs more than what the regular care allowance covers. In these cases, you may be able to access contingency paymentsfor additional financial help such as:
- family contact visits
- laptops
- tutoring
- dental or optical services
- professional therapy (e.g. counselling, speech therapy)
- professional reports (e.g. psychological assessments)
- respite care
- travel (excluding holidays)
- activities or services that support a child’s culture and identity
Child care
When DCJ approves a child’s attendance at a childcare centre, carers can be assisted with the costs of the 'gap' between the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) (child wellbeing) with DCJ approval. In most cases, the full cost of child care will be covered.
Establishment payments
Establishment payments help cover the cost of buying essential items for a child when they first come to live with you, such as school uniforms, bedroom furniture, bedlinen, baby capsules, car booster seats, clothing and footwear, nappies and formula and personal items.
Any item bought with an establishment payment belongs to the child or young person and should go with them, where practical, if they leave your care.