About Foster and Kinship Care
Foster and kinship care (family-based care) are ways of providing safe and secure homes for children or young people who cannot live with their own parents.
About Foster Care
Foster carers care for children and young people with whom they generally have no prior connection. Care can be for different lengths of time.
Types of foster care
- Emergency care
- Short-term care
- Long-term care
- Respite care
- Specialist care
Refer to the Department for Child Protection website for more information about foster caring.
How to become a foster carer
From start to finish, the journey to become a foster carer takes around six months. Visit the Department for Child Protection website for more information about becoming a foster carer in South Australia.
Support for foster carers
Agencies deliver services to foster carers to support them to provide safe and appropriate placements for children and young people in care.
Support agency services include:
- Information sessions (group and/or one-to-one)
- Recruitment
- Assessment
- Training
- Support and supervision (including 24-hour emergency support)
- Regular phone calls and home visits
- Events and opportunities to connect with other foster carers
Visit the Department for Child Protection website to learn more about support agencies.
About kinship Care
Kinship carer families care for children and young people who are related through family or have an existing relationship with the family or community.
Types of kinship care
- Kinship care
- Specific-child only
Support for kinship carers
Kinship carers are supported through the kinship care program managed by the Department for Child Protection. Learn more about support for kinship carers
Aboriginal families can choose to be supported by an Aboriginal Community Control Organisation or agency. This should be discussed with the Kinship Care team when placement is being discussed.