Supporting Carers Of Other People's Children - Australian Foster ...

Carer AllowanceCarer PaymentCarer Payment provides income support to people who, because of the demands of their caring role,are unable to support themselves through paid employment. It can be paid to a carer in respect of achild who is profoundly disabled or to an adult who has a disability or severe medical condition or whois frail aged. From 1 July 2006 Carer Payment (child) eligibility was extended to carers of children withsevere intellectual, psychiatric or behavioural disabilities who need constant supervision.Carer Payment is income and assets tested. As a foster, relative or kinship carer, you may do paid orvoluntary work, study or train for up to 25 hours a week without losing eligibility for Carer Payment.As well, you can take a break from caring for up to 63 days in a calendar year, and the child oryoung person in your care can be hospitalised for up to 63 days in a calendar year without you losingeligibility for Carer Payment. You may also get both Carer Payment and Carer Allowance, but youcannot get Carer Payment and any other Centrelink or Veterans’ Affairs pension at the same time.Carer Allowance is a supplementary payment to peoplewho provide daily care and attention at home for aperson with a disability or chronic medical condition. Tobe eligible for this payment for a child aged under 16years, the child must be a dependent on you as theircarer, and must live with you in a private home. Aswell, the child must have a disability that is permanentor likely to last for at least 12 months. You can take abreak from caring for up to 63 days in a calendar year,and the child that you are caring for can be hospitalisedfor up to 63 days in a calendar year without you losingeligibility for Carer Allowance. The allowance is notincome or assets tested and can be paid in addition to asocial security income support payment.If you are a foster, relative or kinship carer of a childaged under 16 years and do not qualify for CarerAllowance, you can still qualify for a Health Care Card ifthe child requires at least 14 hours per week of additionalcare and attention.For more information about either of theabove, phone Centrelink on 13 1021TTY 1800 810 586Multilingual Services 12 1202 or visit thewebsite at www.centrelink.gov.auThey havehelped over 250children. They have bighearts. If you need someoneto talk to, R--- and C--- are theones to talk to. Where I camefrom, home wasn’t really ahome, so this is the homeI know.B--- (24 yrs)Through the eyes offormer children incareWhen myparents split upit was very distraughttime for me and when I hadnowhere to go Aunty J--- tookme in and though she had alarge family, she made roomfor us so we had somewherewhere we were safe.K---9