Legislative Council Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2) 54 2 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Foster and Kinship Care Foster and Kinship Care The Hon. J.A. DARLEY Legislative Council Foster and Kinship Care The Hon. J.A. DARLEY (15:28): The second part of the question was: having regard to the average cost difference to the taxpayer per child in foster and kinship care, as opposed to residential care provided by the Department for Child Protection; and, secondly, the emotional needs and development of the child. The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK Legislative Council Minister for Human Services Foster and Kinship Care The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (15:28): Certainly, honourable members would be aware that the cost of residential care where we have paid carers caring for children is much, much higher than it is for foster carers or kinship carers to be providing that. That's obviously not the only consideration, but certainly for children and young people to be placed in a homelike environment which normalises that experience for them as much as is possible certainly is preferable. He has identified a number of parameters which form part of that consideration.