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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.

If you turn 18, 19 or 20 before 1 July 2023, you will not be eligible to access Extended Post Care Support, but there are other existing support programs available.

Next Step Plus

Next Step Plus (previously called Next Step After Care) is a service for young people aged 15 to 25 years who have had care experience since their 12th birthday. Next Step Plus is there to provide you with information and support and help you to access things like:

  • managing money and entitlements
  • finding accommodation
  • training, jobs and preparing a resume
  • keeping safe, strong and healthy
  • relationships, including family and friends
  • legal advice.

You can contact Next Step Plus from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm by calling or visiting one of the following Next Step Plus regional service providers.

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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.

CREATE Transitioning from care to adulthood

Department of Youth Justice, Employment, Small Business and Training

Last updated:
22 June 2023
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