Permanent care

Permanent care gives a child who cannot live safely with their birth family a stable, loving home and relationships that last a lifetime. It is for children for whom a decision has been made that they are unable to return to their parents or other relatives.

Permanent care is not a voluntary placement. Where child protection authorities decide a child cannot safely return home, the child may be placed in permanent care, either with existing carers who are assessed as suitable to take on a permanent role, or with new permanent carers.

How it differs from foster care#

Foster care is usually a temporary arrangement that aims to reunite children with their birth parents. Permanent care is different: the carers take on all the responsibilities of raising the child for the long term, including meeting the child’s cultural needs.

A permanent care order is a court order that grants custody and guardianship to the permanent care family. In practice this means that, as a permanent carer, you are responsible for the child’s day-to-day care as well as long-term decisions about things like education, where the child lives, health and work.

In every other way, it means you become the child’s parent into the future, loving them, caring for them, giving them opportunities and providing them with enduring relationships.

The order does not automatically change the child’s name, birth certificate or inheritance rights, although a change of name is possible. The order typically ends when the child turns 18, but the close relationships between permanent carers and children last well beyond that.

Contact with the birth family#

Children in permanent care are usually entitled to ongoing contact with their birth parents, and birth parents may receive updates such as photos and news of the child’s progress.

In most cases children will keep some contact with members of their birth family after joining a new family. This can feel challenging at first, but it is very important. All children benefit from knowing and understanding their origins, as this forms part of their identity.

Before a permanent care order is granted, contact arrangements are usually organised and supported by a worker. At first, visits often take place in neutral settings for a couple of hours, with a worker present to help everyone build relationships, until you and the birth family feel comfortable managing the arrangements yourselves.

Cultural identity#

When a child comes from a particular cultural or community background, extra care is taken to protect their connection to that identity. This may include preparing a cultural plan and seeking advice from people or organisations connected to the child’s community, so that any placement supports the child’s heritage and sense of belonging.

Financial assistance#

As a permanent carer, you have financial responsibility for the child, but you can also access financial assistance to help with some expenses.

Carers may receive an ongoing, non-taxable care allowance, generally paid until the child turns 18, which contributes to the cost of food, clothing and other everyday needs. Additional support may be available in particular situations, such as caring for a child with a disability or a medical condition.

Flexible funding may also be available to support a placement and meet the extraordinary needs of a child, helping with costs not covered by the care allowance or other sources. It may cover partial, full or ongoing costs, and may be paid to a carer, a retailer or a service provider. To find out whether this applies to your situation, talk to your child protection worker or case manager. Funding may be arranged as part of the child’s case plan when an application for a permanent care order is being made, and carers may also apply after an order is in place.

Support and where to find it#

Specialist permanent care services recruit, educate, assess and approve permanent carers, and support carers and children once an order has been made. They can answer questions about the process and help you through it.

There are also member organisations made up of permanent care, kinship care and adoptive families. Drawing on research and the lived experience of these families, they offer ongoing support and services to help children thrive. Your local permanent care service can point you to the support available in your area.

Things to consider#

Caring for a child in permanent care can involve:

• Ongoing contact with the birth family
• The challenges of adolescent development
• Any special medical or dental needs
• The need for counselling and therapeutic support
• Educational difficulties

Key points#

• Permanent care provides a stable, loving home for children who cannot live safely with their birth family.
• It is different from foster care, which aims to reunite children with their birth parents.
• Keeping some contact with the birth family can feel challenging at first but is very important for the child.
• It is very important for all children to know and understand their origins, as this forms part of their identity.

Where to get help#