Phone Support:

  • 1800 16 11 09
    (free call)

Monday–Friday 9am–5pm

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Other Find & Connect resources

Support Groups and Services

Find & Connect Support Service

Wattle Place is part of the national network of Find & Connect Support Services and is delivering support to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants in New South Wales. Wattle Place will assist and support those people who were in care in Australia from the 1920s to 1989 to:

  • Access personalised support and counselling and, where possible, help you to obtain your personal records, trace your history and understand why you were placed into care
  • Connect with other services and support networks that may assist you at this time in your life
  • Reconnect with family, if this is possible

  • 1800 16 11 09 (free call)

Monday–Friday 9am–5pm

About the 1800 number

The function of the 1800 telephone number is to provide frontline support to care leavers or their representatives, to point care leavers in the right direction for finding their records or searching for family. It will also link care leavers with support and counselling within the Find & Connect Service network, or with other agencies.

Other Resources

You may also be interested in the following pages:

Other Support groups and Services

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Forgotten Australians

Wattle Place

Wattle Place is a service to support those people who grew up in orphanages, Children's Homes, institutions and foster homes in NSW from the 1920s to the 1990s. It is based in Harris Park and run by Relationships Australia.
Telephone: Freecall 1800 663 844
Email: wattleplace@ransw.org.au
Website: http://www.nsw.relationships.com.au/ourservices/aftercare.aspx

Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN)

A national network and advocacy group for care leavers and Forgotten Australians providing information, understanding and emotional support, based in Bankstown.
Telephone: 1800 008 774
Email: support@clan.org.au
Website: http://www.clan.org.au/

Now-Remembered Australians

A peer support organisation in Lismore, in the Northern Rivers area of NSW.
Phone: (02) 6622 1670
Email: nowrememberedaustralians@gmail.com
Website: http://www.nowrememberedaustralians.com/

Origins Healing and Recovery Project for Forgotten Australians

Origins Inc NSW Adoption Support supports Forgotten Australians through its HARP project, including offering a counselling service.
Phone: (02) 8786 1035
Email: lilyfair1950@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.originsharp.com/

Parragirls

Parragirls is a contact register and support network for those who were placed in Parramatta Girls Home and other State controlled institutions in NSW. Their activities specifically address recognition of care leavers in the areas of historical research, memorials and reunions.
Email: precinct@parragirls.org.au
Website: http://www.parragirls.org.au/


Former Child Migrants

Child Migrants Trust

Provides a range of social work services for former Child Migrants, including counselling, research into family history and support for family reunions. The Child Migrants Trust is an international organisation with offices in Melbourne, Perth and the UK, and works with former child migrants living in all Australian states as well as in other countries.
Telephone: (03) 9815 2022 [Melbourne]
Website: http://www.childmigrantstrust.com/


Other organisations

Alliance for Forgotten Australians (AFA)

A national alliance of existing groups and individuals that promotes the needs of Forgotten Australians. AFA is based in Canberra.
Telephone: (02) 6273 4885
Website: http://www.forgottenaustralians.org.au/

Aftercare Resource Centre (The ARC)

This service is operated by Relationships Australia in NSW. It is a free service for young people aged between 16 and 25 years who have been in out-of-home care in NSW. Support may be provided to people who are over 25 under special circumstances.
Telephone: 1800 656 884
Email: arc@ransw.org.au

Broken Rites

Broken Rites is a national non-denominational support group for people who have been abused sexually, physically or emotionally in religious institutions.
Phone: (03) 9457 4999 [Melbourne]
Email: brokenritesaustralia@hotmail.com
Website: http://brokenrites.alphalink.com.au/

Community Services

The NSW Department of Community Services has two dedicated services to provide assistance in locating personal records of adopted children and former wards and foster children. Its offices are based in Ashfield.

The Adoption Information Unit (information about adoptions)
Phone: 1300 799 023 (cost of local phone call from anywhere in Australia)
Website: http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/parents_carers_and_families/fostering_and_adoption/adoption/past_adoptions.html

The Care Leaver Records Access Unit (former wards and foster children)
Phone: 1300 137 160 or (02) 9716 2500
Website: http://www.community.nsw.gov.au/parents_carers_and_families/fostering_and_adoption/foster_care/are_you_a_former_ward.html

CREATE Foundation (NSW Office)

Connects and empowers children and young people (25 years and under) who are now or who have been in out-of-home care, and provides an independent voice for these children and young people. It is based in Sydney.
Telephone: (02) 9267 0977 or 1800 655 105
Email: nsw@create.org.au
Website: http://www.create.org.au/

International Social Services (ISS) – NSW

International Social Services (ISS) Australia is a national charity that provides social work services to families and children separated by international borders, such as parental abduction, adoption, migration, asylum seeking, and family separation. It has offices in Melbourne and Sydney.
Telephone: (02) 9267 0300 or 1300 657 843
Email: issnsw@iss.org.au [NSW Office]
Website: http://www.iss.org.au/

Lifeline

Lifeline operates a 24-hour telephone counselling service.
Telephone: 13 11 14
Website: http://www.lifeline.org.au/

Link-Up NSW

Link-Up NSW helps Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people separated from their families under the past laws, practices and policies of Australian governments, to undertake family tracing and family reunions with counselling support. Its reunification services are based in Lawson and it has a counselling service in St Marys.
Telephone: (02) 4759 1911 or toll free 1800 624 332

mindhealthconnect

mindhealthconnect is a website launched in July 2012 as part of the Australian Government's National E-Mental Health Strategy. It is designed to be a 'first step' to finding support and resources to meet your needs.

You can use mindhealthconnect's "Guided Search" to find information and resources targeted to your personal situation, and to get in touch with relevant services. When using the Guided Search, you can answer a range of optional questions about yourself and how you're feeling – your answers are then used to connect you to the most relevant resources (including fact sheets, audio/visual resources, online communities and organisations).
Website: http://www.mindhealthconnect.org.au/

Post Adoption Resource Centre

The Post Adoption Resource Centre provides specialised post adoption counselling and support in NSW and the ACT, including help searching for relatives and a mediation service for people making contact and reuniting with family members. It is auspiced by the Benevolent Society and also manages the records of Scarba House.


Website: http://www.benevolent.org.au/connect/post--adoption--support/

SNAICC

A national non government peak body which advocates on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.
Telephone: (03) 9489 8099 [Melbourne]
Website: http://www.snaicc.asn.au/