Caring for Children
Owned and managed by Department of Communities & Justice
Become a guardian
A guardian has full care and legal responsibility for a child or young person in their care, including making decisions about their health and education, as well as managing, and where required, a child’s contact with their parents, family and important people in their life.
How will my guardianship application be assessed?
This will depend on whether the applicant has been previously assessed as an authorised carer, the type of assessment and when the assessment was completed.
The caseworker will talk with the prospective guardian about the assessment process before the assessment begins.
What are the criteria for becoming a guardian for a child or young person?
The applicant’s suitability for becoming a guardian will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Successful outcomes from completed suitability checks for applicants and household members
- Medical evidence confirms they have the physical and mental health to care for the child young person until that are at least 18 years of age.
- Personal references from two people who can comment on the suitability of the prospective applicant to care for a child or young person
The applicant/s will also need to demonstrate they have:
- the ability to independently meet the long term needs of the child or young person without the case management and supervision from FACS or an out of home care agency. (This includes demonstrating they have a network of family and friends who can provide support and the capacity to meet the needs of the child or young person with limited financial support).
- an established and positive relationship with the child or young person and an understanding that the needs of the child or young person will change over time
- an understanding of the child or young person’s trauma experience, and how they will manage its potential impact on the child’s longer term development
- the capacity to understand the child or young person’s identity and their role in supporting the child or young person through life story work
- the capacity to meet the child or young person’s ongoing cultural needs
- the capacity to establish and maintain a safe and respectful approach with the child or young person’s parents, siblings and significant others
- the capacity and willingness to arrange, coordinate and, where required, supervise safe contact with the child or young person’s family and ability to negotiate through difficulties that may emerge
- they have adequate and safe accommodation for a child.