How to Become a Foster Carer in South Australia
Most people who look into fostering do not quit because they change their minds. They quit because the process feels opaque — a tangle of agencies, government departments, background checks, and training courses with no single source explaining what actually happens, in what order, and how long it takes.
Here is the honest picture of how South Australians become authorised foster carers in 2026.
Who is eligible to apply?
South Australia's basic eligibility criteria are set by the Department for Child Protection (DCP) and applied consistently across all authorised agencies. You do not need to own your home, be wealthy, or be in a relationship. What the system does require:
- Age: You must be at least 25 years old. Some NGOs may consider applicants from 18 in specific circumstances, but 25 is the standard benchmark.
- Residency: Australian citizen, permanent resident, or New Zealand citizen holding a Special Category (subclass 444) visa.
- Health: Good physical and mental health, confirmed by a GP medical assessment.
- Spare bedroom: You need a spare bedroom for the child's privacy and personal space.
- Relationship stability: If applying as a couple, most agencies expect a relationship history of at least two years.
- Lifestyle: Stable housing and income — you do not need to be a homeowner, but you need to demonstrate you can sustain a household.
Single people, renters, retirees, working parents, and same-sex couples all foster in South Australia. The "sainthood myth" — the idea that only a perfect family can apply — is one of the most persistent misconceptions that the DCP and its partner agencies actively try to correct.
Step 1: Make an enquiry and attend an information session
The first step is informal. Call 1300 2 FOSTER (1300 2 367 837) or contact one of the DCP-contracted NGOs directly. You will be invited to an information session — usually held in small groups — where the realities of fostering, the impact of trauma on children, and the South Australian legislative framework are discussed openly.
This is a no-commitment conversation. It is designed to let you ask real questions and to let the agency understand what type of placement might suit your household.
Step 2: Choose your agency
South Australia operates a contracted model. The DCP holds statutory responsibility for children under the guardianship or custody of the Chief Executive, while the day-to-day recruitment, training, and support of carers is handled by contracted non-government organisations. Your choice of agency is one of the most consequential decisions in the process — it determines your support network for the life of every placement.
The contracted agencies covered here include: Aboriginal Family Support Services (AFSS) (statewide), ac.care (Limestone Coast, Murraylands, Riverland), AnglicareSA (Adelaide Metro, Hills, Barossa, Fleurieu), Centacare (Adelaide Metro, Hills, Barossa), Centacare Catholic Country SA (regional SA, including the Far North), Key Assets (Adelaide Metro, Hills, Barossa), Life Without Barriers (statewide, including Adelaide, Limestone Coast, and Mid North), Lutheran Care (Adelaide Metro, Hills, Barossa, Murray-Mallee), Uniting Communities (Adelaide Metro), and Uniting Country SA (Yorke and Mid North, Far North). Regional carers in Whyalla, Port Augusta, or Mount Gambier should compare the agencies serving their region, including Uniting Country SA, Centacare Catholic Country SA, ac.care, Life Without Barriers, and AFSS. See the agency comparison guide for a full breakdown of each organisation's specialisations.
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Step 3: DHS screening — the Working with Children Check
This is where many applications stall. The Child-Related Employment Screening, managed by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Screening Unit, is commonly referred to as the Working with Children Check (WWCC). It is a legal requirement under the Children and Young People (Safety) Act 2017 — not a standard police check.
The DHS Screening Unit reviews:
- National criminal history
- Child protection records from the DCP
- Interstate and New Zealand child protection information
- Workplace misconduct records
Cost for foster carers: Free. Paid workers pay $140; tertiary students pay $71.
Time to complete: The check can take eight weeks or longer. This is the single biggest source of delays in the SA process. Submitting your screening application early — ideally before or alongside your agency registration — saves significant time.
The WWCC is valid for five years and is subject to continuous monitoring. Every adult living in the household must obtain a clearance. Regular visitors who may have unsupervised contact with a child in your care must also be screened.
Step 4: The comprehensive assessment (home study)
The assessment is the most intensive phase — approximately six in-home sessions, each lasting around two hours. An assessment worker from your agency will explore:
- Your family history: Your own upbringing, any experiences of trauma or loss, and how you have navigated significant life events.
- Parenting capacity: Experience with children, understanding of age-appropriate discipline (corporal punishment is strictly prohibited in foster care), and how you manage conflict.
- Motivation: Why you want to foster and what you realistically expect from the role.
- Support network: Who in your life — family, friends, neighbours — can help you during difficult periods.
This is not an interrogation designed to trip you up. It is a competency assessment across four areas: personal readiness, capacity to work as part of a team with the DCP and your agency, ability to promote a child's development, and capacity to maintain a safe environment.
Being open about past challenges — rather than trying to present an idealised version of your life — consistently produces better outcomes in assessment. Assessors are trained to work with real people who have real histories.
Step 5: Mandatory preparation training
Before you are authorised, you must complete mandatory preparation training. In South Australia the core course is known as Shared Stories Shared Lives (used by Uniting Communities and others) or Caring Together depending on your agency. Content across all programmes is consistent and covers:
- Trauma and brain development — how neglect and abuse affect neurological growth
- Attachment and grief — navigating the separation experience for children who have been removed from their birth families
- Maintaining cultural connections — specifically for Aboriginal children, but applicable across all backgrounds
- Mandated notifier training — a one-day "Safe Environments for Children and Young People" course, legally required for all carers
- Infant safety — a two-hour session for those approved to care for children under two years old
Training runs concurrently with the assessment process, so it does not add extra time to the overall timeline.
Step 6: Authorisation panel and DCP approval
Once assessment and training are complete, your agency prepares a comprehensive report which goes to an Authorisation Panel — typically comprising senior social workers, agency managers, and sometimes independent members. The panel makes a recommendation.
The final legal authority rests with the Chief Executive of the DCP (or their delegate). If approved, you sign a Carer Agreement that specifies the exact parameters of your authorisation: the age range of children you can care for, the maximum number, and the type of placement (emergency, short-term, long-term, or respite).
How long does it take?
The full process — from initial enquiry to approval and signing a Carer Agreement — typically runs six to nine months. The main variables are:
- How quickly you submit your DHS screening application
- The availability of assessment workers at your chosen agency
- Your own availability for in-home sessions and training dates
If you apply to an agency that has a current waitlist, your timeline extends accordingly.
What happens after authorisation?
Once authorised, you remain under periodic review, usually every one to two years. Your Carer Agreement can be renewed, expanded (e.g., to include a higher age range), or varied. If your household circumstances change significantly, you must notify your agency.
South Australian carers are mandated notifiers under Section 31 of the Safety Act. If, in the course of your fostering role, you suspect on reasonable grounds that a child is at risk, you are legally required to report this via the Child Abuse Report Line (CARL), regardless of who the child is.
If you want a complete, consolidated guide to the full SA foster care process — including how to prepare for assessment, what the DHS screening actually reviews, and how to navigate the DCP-NGO relationship — the South Australia Foster Care Guide covers the entire journey in one place.
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