Learning Incentive Allowance

About the Learning Incentive Allowance

A key Tasmanian Government election commitment was the allocation of $1.2 million over three years from 2018 to encourage and support young people living in Out of Home Care and on a Care and Protection Order under the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1997, to continue with education and learning through a payment of $2500 to both the young person and carer.

The Learning Incentive Allowance is available to young people at the completion of Year 12 or equivalent. For carers of a young person attending Year 11 or Year 12, the option of staged carer payments is available at the start of both school years.

Young People

  • If you have completed Year 12 or equivalent, you can apply for a one-off payment of $2500 at the completion of the school year.

Payment will be made upon provision of documentation to show you have completed Year 12 study or vocational education and training in 2018 such as Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) or Vocational Education and Training (VET).

Carers

If you are caring for a young person attending Year 11 or Year 12 (or equivalent), you can apply for:

  • A payment of $1250 at the beginning of the Year 11 school year; and
  • A payment of $1250 at the beginning of the Year 12 school year (if the young person goes on to attend Year 12)

OR

  • A one-off payment of $2500 when the young person in your care completes Year 12 or equivalent.

Payment will be made upon provision of documentation to show the young person in your care is attending Year 11 or Year 12. If you apply for a one-off payment of $2500 you must provide appropriate documentation to confirm the young person has completed Year 12 or equivalent.

Note: A maximum payment of $2500 each is available for the young person and their carer

Eligibility requirements for the Learning Incentive Allowance

Young people and their carers are eligible for the Learning Incentive Allowance if they meet the following criteria:

Young people

  • who were in foster or kinship care, residential care or other forms of individual care during the year and were on a Care and Protection Order under the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1997; and
  • completed Year 12 or equivalent through:
    • senior secondary study for Year 12; or
    • VET through a registered training organisation (RTO), Trade Training Centre, an apprenticeship or traineeship.

Carers

  • provided family-based care during the year for a young person on a Care and Protection Order under the Children, Young Persons and their Families Act 1997 (including foster care, kinship care and care provided under transfer of guardianship arrangements) for a young person during the year; and
  • the young person in your care commenced Year 11 or Year 12 or equivalent through either:
    • senior secondary study for Year 11 or 12; or
    • VET through a registered training organisation (RTO), Trade Training Centre, an apprenticeship or traineeship. OR
  • The young person in your care completed Year 12 or equivalent and you are applying for a one-off payment of $2500.

How to apply for the Learning Incentive Allowance

To apply for payment, applicants (young people and eligible carers) must complete the Learning Incentive Allowance application form and attach the relevant documentation.

Download the printable fact sheet and application form.

Carers and young people can complete and return their parts of the form on separate forms or on the same form.

Return forms to the postal address or email address stated at the bottom of the application form.

Documentation Required

Payments will be made upon receipt of completed Learning Incentive Allowance application forms and verification of the accompanying documentation for the relevant Tasmanian Assessment, Standards and Certification (TASC) or Vocational Education and Training (VET).

Further information

For further information about the Learning Incentive Allowance, please contact:

Adoptions and After Care Support

Email:   aftercaresupport@decyp.tas.gov.au

Phone:  6166 0422