Australia’s kinship carers desperate for support as numbers of children in out-of-home care grow

Kinship and foster carers are facing increasing financial pressures amid Australia’s cost of living crisis. Photograph: LaylaBird/Getty Images

Jane’s eight-month-old grandchild arrived unexpectedly on her door in a wet nappy and in the arms of a child protection worker.

The worker, at Jane’s request, dashed across the road to buy formula, a bottle and baby wipes. Then she drove away.