21/06/2026
The fact that three children in care attract $3.8 million in funding is not disgraceful because those children receive support. They deserve whatever support is required to meet their needs. What is disgraceful is that many volunteer Foster and Kinship Carers caring for children with significant complex physical disabilities, medical conditions and palliative care needs often have to beg for every bit of support they receive - and often don't get it.
Sadly, the $3.8 million a year spent on these three children in residential care does not provide them with love, family or lifelong commitment. It provides somewhere to live. Who is monitoring these children to ensure they are not being disadvantaged?
Many Volunteer Foster and Kinship Carers providing care for children with complex physical disabilities, medical conditions and palliative care needs have had services removed, been forced to pay doctors' gap fees, struggled to have safe modified vehicles provided, experienced delays with home modifications, and had medical travel costs denied, delayed or not reimbursed at all. Some Carers tell me they have tried to get children with similar additional needs out of residential care and into family based care, but to no avail.
Almost $700,000 per child per year in residential care and $3.8 million for these three children alone. I know I keep harping on about it, but it would be cheaper to provide support to some families in their own homes rather than remove children in the first place. That should always be the priority where it is safe to do so.
If all Foster and Kinship Carers received the Specialist Carer Payment for day to day costs, and the Department reimbursed all out of pocket expenses for things such as medical, dental, education, return to Country and family contact etc and, there are also things we could do federally, including ending income testing for Carers. We would retain and attract more Carers, reduce the number of children in residential care, reduce reliance on residential care, improve outcomes for children and young people, and save taxpayers millions.
That, together with Independent Oversight, an Independent Complaints and Investigation Mechanism, and an Independent Care Advocate, would be game changing for children and young people in care.
