In 2020, the Department for Child Protection (DCP) led the development of the Statement of Commitment to Family Based Carers, in partnership with Connecting Foster & Kinship Carers SA Inc (CF&KC-SA) and Child and Family Focus SA (CAFFSA) to ensure carers are informed, supported, consulted, valued and respected.

The Statement recognises that we must work in partnership and value carers as an essential and respected part of the care team for children and young people. It highlights 5 key principles that guide our work with carers and outlines the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved in family-based care.

Statement of Commitment to Family Based Carers (PDF, 3.8 MB)

Connecting Foster & Kinship Carers SA Inc

Child and Family Focus SA

Understanding the Statement of Commitment

As part of Foster and Kinship Carer Week 2020, we share the Statement of Commitment from a carer and DCP support worker's perspective.

Supporting document

The supporting document to the Statement of Commitment provides guidance on how carers and workers can use the Statement of Commitment to understand their roles and responsibilities, and work together to support children and young people in care. The supporting document includes a checklist with questions for carers and workers to use to reflect on their role and interactions with each other.

Supporting document to the Statement of Commitment

Key principles

As a foster or kinship carer, you can expect to be:

We will provide clarity to carers around their role, responsibilities and entitlements.

We will ensure carers have the information they need about the children in their care.

We will be transparent about the legal rights of carers, how carers can report concerns and ask for decisions to be reviewed.

We will provide support, guidance and training to carers to meet the needs of children in their care.

We will provide carers with allowances, subsidies and reimbursements to enable a sustainable placement.

We will empower carers to make decisions for children to take part in everyday activities.

We will involve carers in decisions about the children and young people in their care.

We will be open and honest when communicating with carers and honour agreements made with them.

We will provide carers with the opportunity to give feedback on policies and practices.

We will acknowledge the skills, expertise and knowledge that carers bring to their role.

We will recognise carers as an integral part of the care team.

We will listen to carers and value their views and circumstances.

We will recognise and celebrate the contributions carers make.

We will be culturally safe in the way we work with carers.

We will recognise the significant relationship that carers have with the children in their care.

We will respect carers as individuals beyond their caring role.

We will treat the personal information of carers in accordance with the Information Sharing Guidelines.