Who is eligible for Flexible Funding?

Flexible funding requests can be considered when:

  • A child or a young person is subject to a Permanent Care Order (PCO) made in Victoria, and is residing in an ongoing permanent care placement.
  • A child or young person is subject to a family court order or a special needs adoption, and their carer is receiving the DFFH Carer allowance for permanent placement.

Permanent Care and Adoptive Families (PCA Families) together with Victorian Department of Fairness, Families and Housing (DFFH) provides Flexible Funding to meet the extraordinary needs of children and young people subject to a: 

  • Permanent Care Order,
  • Family Court Order and who are receiving the DFFH care allowance or
  • Adoption Order and who are receiving the DFFH care allowance, to help with costs not met by the care allowance, or other funding sources. 

Are you a new permanent carer? Talk to your child protection worker or case manager. Flexible funding may be endorsed as part of the child’s case plan when an application for a permanent care order is being made. Approved funding will be provided when the permanent care order is made. 

What you need to know

  • Permanent carers can apply for flexible funding through PCA Families any time after the permanent care order is in place, with the possibility of multiple applications.
  • PCA Families distributes the Flexible Funds.
  • Flexible funding will only be provided when the cost of the service, product, or activity, is beyond that reasonably covered by an existing care allowance, or other sources of funding.
  • The funding may cover partial, full, or ongoing costs.
  • Carers may make more than one application.
  • Carers who are seeking to prepay a service/product/activity need to seek preapproval from the Flexible Funding Team. Anything that was prepaid without PCA Families knowledge may not be reimbursed.
  • The DFFH care allowance normally ceases when a child is 18. Carers with children prior to turning 18 should contact PCA Families to learn more about Better Futures and Home Stretch programs.
Your questions answered

Flexible funding is available to apply for these services

  • Therapeutic needs resulting from trauma or negative experiences
  • Educational support not covered by the education allowance
  • Health and medical needs not covered by a medical allowance, Medicare, or private health insurance
  • Supporting and strengthening attachment to family and relationships with peers, developing skills and interests
  • Preserving contact with birth family, parents, siblings, and other members
  • Preserving cultural identity
  • Respite care
  • Childcare costs not covered by other subsidies
  • Home modifications essential for the child
  • Essential vehicle requirements
  • Other services essential to support the placement

Flexible funding can be provided to permanent carers to help meet additional needs of a child in their care, subject to a PCO beyond those met by the carer allowance or other available funding sources.

It involves a simple application process. Email [email protected] or call us on 03 9020 1833 and select option 3 to get started.

Support access to services to address: 

  • the therapeutic needs of a child which result from trauma or negative experiences
  • additional educational support not covered by the educational allowance
  • additional health and medical needs of the child not covered by the medical allowance, Medicare or private health insurance
  • preserved contact between parents, siblings and family members
  • preserved cultural identity
  • respite care
  • childcare beyond other subsidies
  • essential home modifications
  • essential vehicle requirements, such as modifications, car seats and upsizing, and


The funding is not to be used for: 

  • legal costs, or
  • staff salaries or professional development.

Flexible funding is available to apply for these services:

  • the therapeutic needs of a child that result from trauma or negative experiences
  • additional educational support not covered by the educational allowance
  • additional health and medical needs of the child not covered by the medical allowance, Medicare or private health insurance
  • preserved contact between parents, siblings and family members
  • preserved cultural identity
  • respite care
  • childcare beyond other subsidies
  • essential home modifications
  • essential vehicle requirements, such as modifications, car seats and upsizing, and
  • other services essential to support the placement.
Why become a member of PCA Families?
Join PCA Families to access services, training, and events. Members get trauma-informed support, information, advocacy, and training. We offer practical advice and referrals, all backed by research and lived experience.
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How can we help?

Phone
(03) 9020 1833

Our office hours are Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm, excluding public holidays.