The Victorian Managed Insurance Authority (VMIA) is the insurer for eligible kinship and foster carers who are providing care to children and young people involved with Child Protection. The Volunteer Care Givers Property (VCGP) policy is the insurance policy provided by VMIA covering kinship and foster carers.
The VCGP policy covers loss or damage to the kinship and foster carers property caused by acts of malicious damage, theft or accidental damage directly or indirectly caused by any child or young person in the care of a kinship or foster carer.
VMIA insurance only applies to for home-based care arrangements (kinship and foster) where there is active child protection involvement. Permanent Care Orders and prospective permanent carers are not covered by VMIA. Permanent carers should be advised of this.
Note: Kinship and foster carers engaged by a VMIA insured agency (i.e. a CSO and ACCO who has VMIA insurance) are covered in accordance with that agency’s VCGP policy. A claim would need to be made with VMIA by the agency on the carer’s behalf.
In cases where a child in kinship and foster care damages a motor vehicle owned by the carer (or owned by a member of the carer's immediate family or other resident permanently residing in the carer's household) in a non-driving incident, the carer should contact their Child Protection practitioner or agency. The Child Protection practitioner or agency can then contact the Insurance Services team in the department for advice.
Where a child in kinship or foster care causes damage to the carer's property, a Property Damage Claim form needs to be completed.
- For kinship carers supported by an agency, the form needs to be completed by the kinship care agency on behalf of the kinship carer.
- For kinship carers supported by the department, the form needs to be completed by the Child Protection Practitioner on behalf of the kinship carer.
- For foster carers, this form needs to be completed by the foster care agency on behalf of the foster carer.
The completed form along with supporting documents such as photographs of the damage, quotes for repair and invoices are then sent to the department’s Insurance Services team for consideration and processing. One “like for like” quote needs to be submitted as supporting documents. For major building works, two quotes need to be submitted. VMIA will liaise with the department’s Insurance Services team and kinship agency, foster care agency, or Child Protection Practitioner when processing the claim. VMIA does not have direct contact with the carer.
Note: This does not apply to children and young people on a Permanent Care Order