Support for care-leavers, including Forgotten Australians and former child migrants placed in out of home care
Aged care services can help you age well, stay at home longer and find more time for the things you enjoy. Whether you get some help at home, or live in an aged care home, your individual needs, experiences and identity will be supported and respected.
If you are a care leaver and need extra support, you may be eligible to apply for aged care.
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Aged care is changing
The new Aged Care Act is an important reform that embeds the right for you to:
- access culturally safe, trauma-aware and healing-informed assessments and aged care services
- stay connected to your community.
Find out more about how aged care reforms will impact you.
About care-leavers
Care leavers encompass different groups of people who, as children, were removed from their families and communities and placed in out of home care.
In the last century, over 500,000 people spent their childhoods in institutional and out-of-home ‘care’ in Australia.
Approximately:
- 440,000 were children called the Forgotten Australians
- 50,000 were Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, some from the Stolen Generations
- up to 10,000 were former child migrants from Britain, Ireland and Malta.
Collectively, these people are known as care leavers. Their negative experiences while in ‘care’ have had lasting impacts on their adulthood and ongoing experiences. As they age, these experiences have also resulted in significant barriers to care – including difficulty re-telling their stories.
Not all people who experienced out of home care as children will identify with the terms care leavers, Forgotten Australians and their grouping.
Can I get aged care that caters for my needs?
You have the right to receive safe, high-quality care and services and to be treated with dignity and respect. Government-funded care should value your identity, culture, background and life experiences.
All providers must recognise your individual needs and values. You have the right to live the life you choose, make decisions about your aged care services, and get support when you want or need it. Aged care providers must explain your aged care services in a way that you understand.
You can access government-funded aged care services if you have assessed care needs and are at least one of the following:
- aged 65 years and over
- an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person aged 50 years and older
- homeless or at risk of homelessness and aged 50 years and older
- already living in an aged care home or accessing aged care services.
Some providers tailor their practices, staff, and organisation to meet the needs of specific groups. This includes older people who are care leavers, Forgotten Australians or former child migrants. They are called specialised providers.
You can also identify providers that offer specialised care in the Find a Provider tool. To help narrow your search, use the filters to find and compare providers that offer the care you need.
How do I find a provider that is right for me?
Whether you’re looking for help at home or considering moving into an aged care home, My Aged Care can help you find and access a range of aged care services. Eligibility for government-funded aged care services is based on your age, needs and situation.
The first step is to apply for an assessment. This can be done online, over the phone, or in person.
Your assessor will visit you to chat about your goals and needs. They will confirm what services you are eligible for and may suggest local providers that can help you.
Some providers listed in the Find a Provider tool have been verified as delivering care and services that meet specific needs of people from specific backgrounds or life experiences. These providers have undergone a process that validates their claims as a provider of specialised care and services.
Specialisation Verification helps you to be confident that their claims of specialised care have been verified by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing using the Specialisation Verification Framework.
Learn more about specialisation verification for aged care services.
What questions can I ask aged care providers?
When you’re starting to think about aged care or are talking to a provider for the first time, it’s good to think about the kind of care you would like.
Preparing some questions to ask providers when you meet with them can be very helpful. You can take your loved ones, carers, supporters, or anyone you trust with you to these meetings. Some example questions are included below.
These and more questions can be found in this 10 Questions brochure created by Helping Hand. While it focuses on questions you can ask when looking for an aged care home, most of them work for receiving help at home services as well.
Who can help me access aged care?
There are many ways to get some help to access aged care, if you want it. This includes speaking to someone who understands your background and experiences. There is a network of free services available that can provide advice and support at every step along the way.
What support is available for carers?
If you are caring for someone, short-term and general respite services are available. For emergency respite care, contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737. You can find out more about services to support carers, including peer connections and training, on the Carer Gateway website.
Learn more about information, resources and support for carers.
What if I have concerns about my care?
If you are made to feel unsafe or uncomfortable, are denied a service, or have a concern about your rights, you should tell someone. This could be your aged care provider, a staff member, a friend, family member, an aged care advocate, or anyone you trust.
Learn more about your rights.
You also have the right to raise your concern or make a complaint with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission. Doing this shouldn’t affect your support services. Discuss the issue with your provider first, as it may be something they can resolve. You have the right to stop services at any time.
If you are not comfortable talking to your provider, OPAN provides free advocacy services.
Learn more about raising complaints and concerns.
Useful resources and contacts
The following services and programs can provide support.
Real Care the second time around
The Real Care the Second Time Around: Forgotten Australians project created resources to support aged care providers understand the needs of Forgotten Australians and care leavers.
As well as the 10 questions brochure, they have created a consumer booklet, to help you develop an ‘About me’ one page story. This page can travel with you to help reduce the need for you to keep re-telling your story.
Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN)
CLAN offers support to people who have grown up in orphanages, children’s homes, missions, foster care, and other child welfare institutions. They also support close family members of care-leavers.
National Redress Scheme
The National Redress Scheme is for people who experienced child sexual abuse while in an institution. The Scheme helps people access redress and can connect them to free confidential Redress Support Services.
Child Migrant’s Trust
The Child Migrant's Trust supports former child migrants and their families in several ways including family research, access to records and counselling.
Healing Foundation
The Healing Foundation is a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation. It partners with communities to address the ongoing trauma caused by actions like the forced removal of children from their families. The Healing Foundation has a variety of resources available for download.
Find and Connect
The Find and Connect support service helps people who spent time in care as children. It can help you to access personalised support and counselling, obtain your personal records, trace your history and understand why you were placed into care. It can also connect you with other services and support networks that may assist you at this time in your life and reconnect with family, where possible.
Link-Up
Link-Up Services help First Nations Australians separated from their families. National contacts are available through their website or by calling 1800 624 332.
International Social Service Australia
International Social Service Australia provides a family tracing and reunification service. This is for people trying to locate a family member who may have been adopted in another country. Call 1300 657 843.
Phoenix Australia
Phoenix Australia provides mental health focused support and information for older people and people who work in aged care, including workers, managers, and carers. You may choose to direct your provider to Phoenix to learn more about caring for your specific needs.
Blue Knot
Blue Knot provides advocacy and support for people who have experiences of complex trauma and their friends, families, and professionals. Their website has a wide range of resources, including information and fact sheets, for everyone who needs them. You can also call their helpline on 1300 657 380 for counselling and redress support.
Aged Care Volunteer Visitors Scheme (ACVVS)
This scheme supports volunteer visits, providing friendship and companionship if you're feeling isolated. Visits are available to anyone who receives government-funded aged care services.
National Association of Services Against Sexual Violence (NASASV)
NASASV has a directory of services for people who are at risk of or experiencing sexual violence. It connects you to local organisations that offer prevention and response services.
Forced adoption support services
The Australian Government funds organisations to provide coordinated specialist support services across Australia for people affected by forced adoption practices. This includes a national helpline you can call on 1800 210 313.