❓ WA Parliamentary Question on Notice regarding the foster care system, including the number of foster families, reasons for inactivity, permanency timelines, and associated costs. The response provides some data but lacks detail in key areas like reasons for foster family inactivity and comparative adoption costs.
AnsweredQoN 704Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the foster care system in Western Australia, and I ask: (a) what is the current number of approved foster families actively providing care; (b) how many approved foster families are not currently caring for children, and for what reasons; (c) what is the average length of time children spend in temporary foster care before achieving permanency; (d) how many children aged 0-5 years have been in care for more than two years without achieving permanency; (e) how many foster families have had children removed from their care due to their views on gender or sexuality; and (f) what is the annual cost of maintaining children in long-term foster care compared to finalising adoptions?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
18 November 2025
Responded by
Minister for Agriculture and Food representing the Minister for Child Protection
Response time
8 days
The Department of Communities advises:
(a) At 30 September 2025, there were 2,058 approved foster families actively providing care.
(b) At 30 September 2025, there were 1,220 approved foster families not currently caring for children.
There will always be circumstances where foster carers do not currently have children placed, such as carer households that provide short break and emergency care, carer households may also be between placements.
(c – d) Children in the care of the CEO are not categorised as being in temporary or permanent care. The primary focus for all children in care is to identify care arrangements that promote stability and connection and best meet their needs.
(e) This data is not available in a reportable format and is contained on individual case files. Carers are assessed against the carer competencies outlined in the Children and Communities Services Regulations (2006). Any decisions to end care arrangements are made based on the best interests of the child with consideration to the carer competencies.
(f) The annual costs associated with caring for children in care are detailed in the Department of Communities’ Annual Report – key efficiency indicators. For the 2024-25 financial year the average cost per day of a foster care arrangement is $215.
The Department of Communities financial information system does not provide a breakdown of total cost per adoption case, however in the 2024-25 financial year Adoption Services was allocated $2,477,257.
(a) At 30 September 2025, there were 2,058 approved foster families actively providing care.
(b) At 30 September 2025, there were 1,220 approved foster families not currently caring for children.
There will always be circumstances where foster carers do not currently have children placed, such as carer households that provide short break and emergency care, carer households may also be between placements.
(c – d) Children in the care of the CEO are not categorised as being in temporary or permanent care. The primary focus for all children in care is to identify care arrangements that promote stability and connection and best meet their needs.
(e) This data is not available in a reportable format and is contained on individual case files. Carers are assessed against the carer competencies outlined in the Children and Communities Services Regulations (2006). Any decisions to end care arrangements are made based on the best interests of the child with consideration to the carer competencies.
(f) The annual costs associated with caring for children in care are detailed in the Department of Communities’ Annual Report – key efficiency indicators. For the 2024-25 financial year the average cost per day of a foster care arrangement is $215.
The Department of Communities financial information system does not provide a breakdown of total cost per adoption case, however in the 2024-25 financial year Adoption Services was allocated $2,477,257.
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