Chapter 01
The Scale
of It
Chapter 01 — Continued
Where the
Money Goes
Total recurrent expenditure — $971.5m
Intervention $78.2m · 8.5% ↓ from 11%
Chapter 02
Who They Are
1 dot ≈ 10 children · 490 dots, 4,900 children (FY24–25)
Each dot represents approximately 10 children.
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Nationally, 22% of children in OOHC have a diagnosed disability — a rate significantly higher than the general child population. Among high-needs residential cohorts the figure rises to 57%.
22%
national OOHC disability rate (57% in high-needs residential)
Aboriginal children represent just 5.5% of SA's child population, but 38–39% of children in out-of-home care. That is an overrepresentation of almost 7 times.
7×
rate of First Nations overrepresentation
Chapter 03
Who Gets a
Soft Landing?
Two young people. The same age. Very different experiences of what growing up means.
108
care leavers exit residential care each year in SA
Chapter 04
The Postcode
Lottery
All Australian states formally discharge young people from care at 18. But what happens next — aftercare programs, extended support, housing pathways — varies dramatically depending on which state you grew up in.
Hover a state
The age limit tells part of the story. The money tells the rest.
| State | Independent living allowance | Carer / staying-on payment | Additional support |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT | $594/fn | $594/fn (Carer Subsidy) | Discretionary aftercare 21–25 |
| NSW | $261/fn | $568/fn (yr 1) → $418 → $261 | Specialist caseworkers; legal obligation to 25 |
| NT | No stated limit | No stated limit | Unplanned support available to 25 |
| QLD | $615/fn | $717/fn (CPI-indexed) | Practical support for young person + carer household |
| SA | None guaranteed | $830/fn (family-based only) | Limited Stability Post-Care packages |
| TAS | Declining rates | Year 1 matches 12–17 rate; declines annually | One-off $2,500 for education / social engagement |
| VIC | $617/fn | $617/fn | Flexible funding $1,600/yr; caseworkers up to $9,500/yr |
| WA | $450/fn (yr 1) | $450 → $337 → $225 | $2,500/yr brokerage ('Invest in Me') for education |
All figures per fortnight (fn). SA and TAS residential care leavers are not guaranteed independent living allowances — access depends on discretionary program eligibility.
Chapter 05
Where the
Chips Fall
Of the 108 young people who leave residential care in South Australia each year, most find stable housing. But within three years, roughly 1 in 3 will have experienced homelessness — a rate dramatically higher than the general population.
within 3 years
within 3 years
Chapter 06
At the
Crossroads
South Australia is one of only two Australian jurisdictions that offers no universal extended support to residential care leavers beyond age 18. A 2025 Deloitte Access Economics cost-benefit analysis makes the case for Home Stretch — and the numbers are hard to argue with.
Residential care leavers aren't just the most disadvantaged subgroup. They're the most expensive to abandon. Compared to those leaving family-based care, they face dramatically elevated risk across every major outcome measure.
Return for every $1 invested in Home Stretch
over 40 years
care leaver supported
for casework & allowances
Where the financial savings land
Modelled over 40 years for a single annual cohort of 64 opt-in care leavers. Source: Deloitte Access Economics, 2025.
Home Stretch asks South Australia to act as a genuine corporate parent into early adulthood. For the 64 young people expected to opt in each year, at $25,000 per person, the program delivers $1.27 back for every dollar in direct government savings — and $3.25 when wellbeing benefits are counted. The Commonwealth captures roughly half of those savings. South Australia captures 39%. The cost of inaction falls on every government service these young people ultimately reach.
Source: Deloitte Access Economics Cost-Benefit Analysis — Home Stretch SA, 2025