Support for foster and kinship carers

All foster and kinship carers are valued and recognised for your essential role in children’s lives.

You should expect support to provide a safe and caring environment to meet the needs of children and young people in care.

Child Safety's Statement of Commitment

The Statement of Commitment between the Child Safety and the foster and kinship carers of Queensland reflects the shared commitment to you, for the benefit of children and young people in care.

The statement also acknowledges the unique role you have as volunteers in this partnership and promotes your critical role as part of a team in opening your homes to care for children and young people.

They commit to providing you with:

financial and practical support
regular formal support
respite care
crisis support when needed
training and development.

You should also expect:

Updates	You will receive ongoing information about the child you have cared for, including their medical, emotional and developmental needs.
Treatment	You will be treated fairly and equally with courtesy, respect and personal dignity. You will be recognised for your unique knowledge and contributions to caring for the child in care.
Complaints	You can raise concerns or make complaints about services or support. To make a complaint, contact Child Safety on 1800 080 464.
Advocacy	You have the right to advocacy and support during standard of care reviews, investigations and assessments. Child Safety Officers will help identify a support person or advocate to assist you.

Children and young people will receive care consistent with the Charter of Rights for children and young people in care, including the right to know and maintain a connection with their family, culture, traditions, language and community.

The paramount concern for child protection in Queensland is the safety, belonging, wellbeing and cultural needs of children and young people as per the Child Protection Act 1999.

The Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety (Child Safety) is the lead agency for child protection in Queensland. The Child Protection Act 1999 gives Child Safety the mandate to protect children from significant harm or risk of significant harm and whose parents are unable and unwilling to protect them.

Child Safety is dedicated to protecting children and young people who have been harmed or are at risk of harm.

It is immaterial how harm to a child or young person is caused. A child is assessed to be in need of protection, if they have suffered significant harm, are suffering significant harm, or are at risk of suffering significant harm and do not have a parent able and willing to protect them from harm.

The role of Child Safety in protecting children and young people is to:
- assess concerns that allege a child or young person has been harmed or is at risk of significant harm
- offer families help and support, to decrease the likelihood of a child becoming a child in need of protection.
- provide ongoing services to children and young people who are experiencing or are at unacceptable risk of experiencing significant harm.
The causes of harm to children and young people are numerous. These can have a detrimental effect on a child or young person's physical or emotional health, their development and wellbeing.

When the child's parents are unable or unwilling to protect them, child protection intervention may be needed. Protecting children at risk of significant harm requires immediate and serious attention.

Effective protection of children relies on community members reporting their concerns. This needs to occur in a timely way to prevent concerns becoming more serious.

If you are concerned that a child has been harmed or is at risk of harm, please report the suspected child abuse.