Home Stretch is a supplementary Better Futures program that aims to support young people who are leaving residential care (including lead tenant), kinship care, foster care, permanent care. Home Stretch funding typically commences once a young person turns 18.
To support the transition into adulthood, Homestretch allows you to access an accommodation allowance to support you with housing costs, as well as flexible funding which can be used to access additional supports such as education, employment, and health services.
To be eligible for Home Stretch, a young person must be:
linked with Better Futures and are either
(a) in a formal care arrangement - e.g. kinship care, foster care, permanent care, residential care and lead tenant arrangements.
OR
(b) subject to a Care By Secretary Order, a Long-term Care Order, Permanent Care Order, or a Family Reunification Order on or after their 16th birthday.
For young people in home-based care or permanent care, a care allowance will be paid to carers through the existing carer allowance payment system.
When living independently or moving into independent living, the Better Futures worker will broker the Home Stretch accommodation allowance and flexible funding. This accommodation allowance can be used to support the young person with the costs associated with independent living, including rent, utilities, housing set-up costs, etc.
