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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/11/victoria-and-queensland-team-up-to-call-for-tax-breaks-for-foster-carers
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| Victoria and Queensland team up to call for tax breaks for foster carers Victoria and Queensland team up to call for tax breaks for foster carers | |
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| The Victorian and Queensland governments have united to pressure the federal government to overhaul support for foster and kinship carers by providing additional Medicare support and tax breaks. | The Victorian and Queensland governments have united to pressure the federal government to overhaul support for foster and kinship carers by providing additional Medicare support and tax breaks. |
| Victoria’s minister for families and children, Jenny Mikakos, and Queensland’s minister for child safety, Shannon Fentiman, issued a joint statement on Friday morning that said commonwealth reform to better support children in out-of-home care had been too slow. | Victoria’s minister for families and children, Jenny Mikakos, and Queensland’s minister for child safety, Shannon Fentiman, issued a joint statement on Friday morning that said commonwealth reform to better support children in out-of-home care had been too slow. |
| It came as the federal assistant social services minister, Zed Seselja, in turn called on the states and territories to reform their adoption laws to speed up the process of permanent adoption. | It came as the federal assistant social services minister, Zed Seselja, in turn called on the states and territories to reform their adoption laws to speed up the process of permanent adoption. |
| Most states and territories prefer to empower parents to improve their parenting skills or to address issues preventing them from caring for their children, with the aim of eventually reuniting them with their children permanently. | Most states and territories prefer to empower parents to improve their parenting skills or to address issues preventing them from caring for their children, with the aim of eventually reuniting them with their children permanently. |
| But there are arguments that this process can add to the uncertainty faced by children, particularly for those whose parents show little prospects of reforming. Seselja is due to meet with his state and territory counterparts to discuss out-of-home care before the end of the year. | But there are arguments that this process can add to the uncertainty faced by children, particularly for those whose parents show little prospects of reforming. Seselja is due to meet with his state and territory counterparts to discuss out-of-home care before the end of the year. |
| In the lead-up that meeting, the Queensland and Victorian ministers have called for a new Medicare benefit for a child health check for children in out-of-home care, a nationally consistent approach to the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care, and for eligibility to family tax benefit part B to be extended for foster and kinship carers until the youngest child they are looking after turns 18. | In the lead-up that meeting, the Queensland and Victorian ministers have called for a new Medicare benefit for a child health check for children in out-of-home care, a nationally consistent approach to the over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in care, and for eligibility to family tax benefit part B to be extended for foster and kinship carers until the youngest child they are looking after turns 18. |
| “We want funding for early intervention and prevention trials expanded to build parenting skills,” Mikakos said. “Tax and Centrelink consequences are standing in the way of professionalised foster care.” | “We want funding for early intervention and prevention trials expanded to build parenting skills,” Mikakos said. “Tax and Centrelink consequences are standing in the way of professionalised foster care.” |
| Fentiman said the state governments would also like to see the child care rebate extended to cover the full amount of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by foster carers. | Fentiman said the state governments would also like to see the child care rebate extended to cover the full amount of out-of-pocket expenses incurred by foster carers. |
| Support for foster carers differs between the states and territories. Foster carers do not get paid for the care they provide but are entitled to a fostering allowance to cover basic costs, usually paid fortnightly. Some foster carers are entitled to some family tax benefits but this depends on their personal circumstances. | Support for foster carers differs between the states and territories. Foster carers do not get paid for the care they provide but are entitled to a fostering allowance to cover basic costs, usually paid fortnightly. Some foster carers are entitled to some family tax benefits but this depends on their personal circumstances. |
| Amid ongoing concern that Victorian foster carers were among the most poorly reimbursed in the country, the state’s Labor government allocated $31m to increase carer payments in its 2015 budget. It was the biggest boost in carer allowances in the state in a decade and took effect on 1 January. | Amid ongoing concern that Victorian foster carers were among the most poorly reimbursed in the country, the state’s Labor government allocated $31m to increase carer payments in its 2015 budget. It was the biggest boost in carer allowances in the state in a decade and took effect on 1 January. |
| A further $19.2m to support Victoria’s foster, kinship and permanent carers was announced this year to give carers better access to training, assistance and financial support. Last month Mikakos announced a trial to pay some of the state’s most experienced full-time carers $65,000 a year in a move to professionalise some roles. | A further $19.2m to support Victoria’s foster, kinship and permanent carers was announced this year to give carers better access to training, assistance and financial support. Last month Mikakos announced a trial to pay some of the state’s most experienced full-time carers $65,000 a year in a move to professionalise some roles. |