How many children were placed with foster or relative/kinship carers?

Of the approximately 9,000 foster carer households with one or more children placed at 30 June 2021:

  • more than half (51%) had multiple children placed with them
  • nearly half (47%) had 2–4 children placed with them
  • 3.3% had 5 or more children placed with them (Supplementary table S7.2; Figure 7.2).

These findings are similar to those for 2019–20 (AIHW 2020). The prevalence of households with multiple child placements might reflect that, in many jurisdictions, priority is given to placing siblings together.

Of the approximately 15,600 relative/kinship carer households with one or more children placed at 30 June 2021:

  • most (63%) had one child placed with them, compared with less than half (49%) of foster carer households
  • 36% had 2–4 children placed with them
  • 1.3% had 5 or more children placed with them (Supplementary table S7.3; Figure 7.2).

Overall, relative/kinship carer households were less likely to have multiple children placed with them than foster carers.

Figure 7.2: Foster and relative/kinship carer households with a placement, by number of children placed, 30 June 2021 (per cent)

This bar chart shows at 30 June 2021, 49%25 of foster carer households had one child placed with them, 30%25 had 2 children, 18%25 had 3-4 children, and 3.3%25 had 5 or more children. Following a similar pattern, 63%25 of relative/kinship carer households had one child placed with them, 24%25 had 2 children, 11%25 had 3-4 children, and 1.3%25 had 5 or more children.

Note: Children under third-party parental responsibility orders placed with relative/kinship carers are excluded.

Chart: AIHW.

Sources: Supplementary data tables S7.2 and S7.3, AIHW Child Protection Collection 2020–21.

References

For a full list of references, go to References.