Information for foster and kinship carers
What is our role?
As a foster or kinship carer, you provide a safe and supportive home for children and young people. Your role is essential in their lives.
Our role is to protect and promote the rights, interests, and wellbeing of the children and young people in your care. We work with you to ensure they are safe, well, and have a say in decisions that affect their lives.
We’re independent of government, which means we don’t work for Child Safety, the courts, or the Department of Education. This independence means we can advocate for the best interests of the children and young people in your care.
How do we work with you?
We visit the children and young people in your care to:
- ensure the home is safe and secure
- confirm that the standards of care are being met
- listen to their views and wishes and ensure they have a say in decisions about their lives
- help them access support for their education, cultural needs, healthcare, and transition to independence.
When will we visit your home?
We’ll visit the child or young person when they first enter your care. After that, we’ll set up a visiting schedule based on their needs and remind you about upcoming visits to make sure they aren’t missed. The schedule may include:
- regular visits for children and young people with higher needs
- less frequent visits for those in long-term, stable placements who are well settled.
How do you request a visit?
You can request extra visits at any time. If you already know one of our community visitors, you can contact them directly to request a visit. Otherwise, you can:
- call us on 1300 653 187
- send an enquiry
- email us at publicguardian@publicguardian.qld.gov.au
The children and young people in your care can also text us on 0418 740 186. They can text us whenever they like and we’ll respond to their message between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.
What happens during a visit?
When we visit your home, we’ll:
- ask you to sign a document giving your consent for the visit
- check that the home is safe and suitable for the child or young person
- speak privately with the child or young person to understand their views, wishes, and any concerns they may have
- help them communicate with their Child Safety officer and participate in decisions about their care, including case plans, education, cultural connections, and healthcare
- assist them in accessing other services, such as legal support through a child advocate.
Our focus when we visit is the child or young person. However, we may also speak with you briefly at the end of the visit. If there isn’t enough time, you’re welcome to contact us later to discuss any concerns.
What are your rights and responsibilities?
Your rights
We’ll only enter your home with your consent, unless we have a warrant. Our community visitors carry formal identification, which you can ask to see before allowing them entry.
Your responsibilities
As a carer, you’re legally required to provide reasonable assistance to our community visitors so they can carry out their duties. This includes making sure the child or young person is at home when we visit so they can speak with them. We also need to see where they live to ensure it’s suitable.
What if you have concerns?
If you have concerns about the child or young person in your care you should first speak with Child Safety.
You can also seek advice from your support agency or Queensland Foster and Kinship Care.
What if we can’t visit in person?
We aim to visit children and young people in person. However, if this isn’t possible, we’ll connect with them through:
- phone
- video call
- text (SMS).