After your transition to adulthood
When you transition to adulthood, you are not alone. Help is still available if you need it.
Extended Post Care Support
Support is available to you when you turn 18 and transition to adulthood after 1 July 2023. This support will be available up until your 21st birthday.
New Extended Post Care Support services will work directly with you to provide culturally appropriate, proactive and practical support, such as finding a safe and affordable place to live, applying for a job or enrolling in a training course, maintaining connections with family, culture, Country and community, and taking you to appointments to meet your health and wellbeing needs.
If you leave care to live in your own arrangements as an independent adult, you’ll be eligible to receive financial assistance of up to $16,000 a year until your 21st birthday to help meet your everyday living costs.
Talk to your Child Safety Officer about Extended Post Care Support.
If you turn 19 from 1 July 2023, and you continue living in your former carer or guardian’s household, they will continue to receive the fortnightly care allowance so they can support you until your 21st birthday.
The new Extended Post Care Support services are located across Queensland and can be contacted from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
If you turn 18, 19 or 20 before 1 July 2023, you will not be eligible to access Extended Post Care Support, but you are eligible to access support from Next Step Plus.
Next Step Plus
Next Step Plus is a service for young people aged 15 to 25 years who have had a care experience since their 12th birthday.
Next Step Plus can support you after you leave care on your 18th birthday up until you turn 25. Support can include help with managing money and entitlements, preparing a resume or finding accommodation. Support will be determined by you and your needs.
Next Step Plus services are located across Queensland and can be contacted from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.
Service providers: Locations and contact information
Region | Location | Supplier | Contact details | Service provided |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brisbane and Moreton Bay | Moreton Bay | Jabani Jinna Indigenous Corporation | Phone: 3063 1368 Email: admin@jabanijinna.org.au | EPCS |
Brisbane and Moreton Bay | Brisbane | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service | Phone: 3240 8900 Email: brighterfutures@atsichsbrisbane.org.au | EPCS |
Brisbane and Moreton Bay | Moreton Bay, Brisbane and Sunshine Coast | Life Without Barriers | Phone: 1800 935 483 Brisbane: 3633 1500, Maroochydore: 5376 6700 Email: nextstepreferrals@lwb.org.au | Next Step Plus |
South East | Logan and Bayside | YFS Ltd | Phone: 3826 1500 Email: nextsteplus@yfs.org.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
South East | Gold Coast | YFS Ltd delivered through Gold Coast Youth Service | Phone: (07) 5572 0400 | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
South East | Logan, Bayside and Gold Coast | Jinndi Mibunn - BHDC Ltd | Phone: (07) 3807 0901 Email: admin@bhdc.org.au | EPCS |
South West | Ipswich, Toowoomba and Southern Downs | Life Without Barriers | Phone: 1800 935 483 Ipswich: 3432 7800 Toowoomba: 4616 3100 Email: nextstepreferrals@lwb.org.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
South West | Roma and Far West | Goolburri Aboriginal Health Advancement | Phone: (07) 4637 9953 Email: Intake@goolburri.org.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
South West | South Burnett | South Burnett CTC Inc | Phone: (07) 4162 7788 Email: nextstep@sbctc.com.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
Sunshine Coast and Central | Caloundra and Maroochydore | REFOCUS | Phone:1800 733 628 Email: EPCS@refocus.org.au | EPCS |
Sunshine Coast and Central | Gympie | Anglicare Southern Queensland | Phone: 5480 4700 or 0439 915 554 Email: NextStepPlus@anglicaresq.org.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
Sunshine Coast and Central | Bundaberg and Fraser Coast | Central Queensland Indigenous Development | Phone: | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
Sunshine Coast and Central | Gladstone | Nhulundu Health Service | Phone: 4979 0992 Email: nextstepplus@nhulundu.com.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
Sunshine Coast and Central | Rockhampton and Emerald | Central Queensland Indigenous Development | Phone (Rockhampton): 4920 0000 | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
Sunshine Coast and Central | Rockhampton and Emerald | Anglicare Central Queensland | Phone: 1300 769 814 | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
North Queensland | Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday | Life Without Barriers | Phone: 4965 4800 or 1800 935 483 Email: nextstepreferrals@lwb.org.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
North Queensland | Townsville | Churches of Christ | Phone: (07) 4771 8888 transitiontoadulthoodreferrals@cofcqld.com.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
North Queensland | Mount Isa | Churches of Christ | Phone: (07) 4771 8888 transitiontoadulthoodreferrals@cofcqld.com.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
Far North Queensland | Cairns and surrounds, Cape and Torres Strait Islands | Youth Empowered Towards Independence | Phone: (07) 4051 4927 Email: referrals@yeti.net.au | EPCS and Next Step Plus |
Support Service Case
Once you leave care, Child Safety may continue to support you through a Support Service Case.
A Support Service Case is a way of working through a plan put together by you and your Child Safety Officer (CSO) to help make your transition from care easier. In most cases, a Support Service Case will last around 12 months.
If you choose not to have a Support Service Case, your CSO can still provide you with information about services and agencies in the community that may help you.
A CSO will work with you to develop your support plan that will list your goals and the steps and support services to help you achieve your goals.
Your CSO will also help and support you in meeting your goals and review your support plan with you until all of your goals have been met.
For more information about support plans, you can:
- talk to your CSO
- phone Child Safety Services on 1800 811 810 or (07) 3224 8045
- contact or visit your nearest Child Safety Service Centre.
More information
Sortli app
Sortli (short for ‘sort out your life’) is the ultimate guide to becoming an adult.
It is a free mobile app to help you think about your future life and plan your transition to adulthood. It was designed in consultation with young people who have already left the care system and are living independently, and professionals who work with young people in care.
Sortli will help you find the information and services you need, when you need them. It’s fun informative and easy-to-navigate and can be installed on your Apple or Android mobile devices.
Note that, as Sortli covers some sensitive topics, it is not suitable for young people under 15 years of age.