Financial assistance

The Care Allowance: what’s it for?

The Care Allowance is provided to help with the day-to-day costs of caring for a child or young person in your care. It is intended to cover regular, everyday expenses, including:

• Food
• Clothing and footwear
• Daily travel
• Suitable car restraints
• Household items and costs
• Hobbies and recreational activities
• General educational expenses
• Holidays
• General medical expenses
• Pocket money

Things to Know

• You do not need to keep receipts to show how the Care Allowance is spent.
• Non-government agencies follow similar procedures—check with your caseworker for any differences.
• Receipts are usually required for out-of-pocket expenses related to the child’s Case Plan, such as:
  • Healthcare costs
  • Childcare
  • Certain education services

Reviews of the Allowance

• The Care Allowance is reviewed annually to ensure the correct amount is being provided.
• It may also be reviewed sooner if there is a change in your circumstances or the child’s placement.

DCJ Care allowances indexation adjustment

Revised DCJ care allowance rates are to commence from 1 July 2024.

The allowance increases apply to Statutory Care Allowances and Supported Care Allowances for DCJ Authorised Carers, Guardianship Allowances, the Post Care Education Financial Support, the Post Care Guardianship Education Financial Support, Staying on Allowance, Independent Living Allowance, and After Care Allowance, from 1 July 2024.

Statutory Care and Supported Care

Note about eligibility

Eligibility for Statutory Care allowances is limited to children and young people who are subject to a care order made in the NSW Children's Court re-allocating parental responsibility to the Minister for DCJ or another suitable (non-relative) person.

Eligibility for Supported Care allowances is limited to children and young people who are subject to a care order made in the NSW Children's Court allocating parental responsibility to a relative/kin. Eligibility also includes children and young people who are subject to a family law order conferring parental responsibility on a person, when DCJ has intervened in proceedings in the Federal Circuit Court or Family Court of Australia.

OOHC Adoption

Financial support for families who adopt -  Carers often see adoption as a way of making a lifelong emotional and practical commitment to a child.  New adoptive parents may be eligible for financial support.  For more information about Adoption

Guardianship

Guardians receive an allowance to enable them to meet the needs of the child or young person. This allowance is the same rate as the DCJ Statutory Care Allowance.  For more information about Guardianship

Post Care Education Support

Post-Care Education Financial Support is a non-means tested payment aimed at helping young people aged 18 to 24 complete their NSW Higher School Certificate. This payment provides financial support to their carer to maintain the current living and support arrangements.  For more information about Post-Care Education Financial Support

Guardianship Post Care Education Support

Staying On Allowance

This allowance is for carers of young people who ‘stay on’ with them after they turn 18. Alternatively, the young person may opt to receive the Independent Living Allowance.  For more information about the Staying on Allowance.

Independent Living Allowance

This allowance is available for young people who have been in statutory care, and are aged 18 to 20. For more information about the Independent Living Allowance.

Aftercare Allowance

This allowance is a time-limited payment available to older care leavers aged 21 to 24 who are undertaking full-time training or education, and who would be at risk of homelessness if financial assistance was not provided. The allowance provides short-term assistance up to three months at a time.  For more information about the Aftercare Allowance.

Back payments 

From time to time, a carer may not receive an allowance or may be underpaid. If your Care Allowance stops unexpectedly or you believe you’re not getting the right amount, speak to your caseworker. They’ll organise a back payment for any amount owing

Overpayments

Occasionally an overpayment of an allowance is made. This can happen when a child’s age changes or when the placement ends. Overpayments must be paid back to DCJ or to your non-government agency. Let your caseworker know as soon as possible to make arrangements for repayment if you think you’ve been overpaid. Repayment options may include: 

• having an agreed amount deducted from future payments if you’re still getting an allowance for a child in your care
• repaying the amount over an agreed period of time.

Tell your caseworker if your banking details change! 

If you are changing your banking arrangements, be sure to let your caseworker know as soon as possible so you don’t miss any payments. It can take a few working days to process the change of details.

Extra Financial Support – 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 payments for 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

Important: Always speak to your caseworker before spending money you want to be reimbursed for. Approval must be given in advance, and the expense should be included in the child or young person’s Case Plan.
Keep all receipts for approved expenses to ensure proper reimbursement.

Child Care

This is a payment where DCJ approves a child’s attendance at a child care centre for a specified number of hours and days.  The authorised carer can be assisted with the costs by paying 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. Whether or not a gap will need to be paid depends on how much the provider charges.  This is not available for adoptions.

Establishment payments

Establishment payments help cover the cost of buying essential items for a child or young person 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. 

Establishment payments are not automatic, so talk to your caseworker before you make a purchase. If the purchase is approved, your caseworker will arrange for payment to go directly to the service provider. You will only be able to have a receipt reimbursed in exceptional circumstances, such as when it’s not possible to pay a service provider directly. 

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.

Compensation for loss or damage

If you are a DCJ carer and you don’t have insurance, you may be able to make a claim with DCJ for any loss, property damage or injury caused by the child or young person in your care. Contact your caseworker as soon as possible after the incident so appropriate action can be taken. Your caseworker will tell you what sort of information and documents you need to provide to support your claim, and explain any other matters that relate to the claim including what happens after you have lodged it. 

If you are a carer with a non-government agency, contact your caseworker for more information about their claims process.