Some people may find content on this website distressing. Read more
New South Wales - Organisation

Post Adoption Resource Centre (1991 - )

  • Adoption Information Act 1990

    Adoption Information Act 1990, 1990 - 2003, courtesy of NSW legislation.
    Details

From
1991
Categories
Adoption Information Service, Records Access Service and Records Holder
Alternative Names
  • PARC (acronym)
Website
http://www.benevolent.org.au/connect/post--adoption--support

The Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC) was opened by the Benevolent Society of New South Wales in 1991 following the introduction of the New South Wales Adoption Information Act 1990. PARC provides information, advice, support and counselling to adopted people, birth parents and adoptive parents, and former residents of Scarba House.

Details

Initial contact with the Post-Adoption Resource Centre is through the organisation's head office, which in 2012 was based in Hurstville. It provides services statewide. PARC has a sister organisation in Queensland called Post Adoption Support Queensland (PASQ).

Former residents of Scarba House can also contact PARC to talk to staff who are familiar with aspects of the history of Scarba House. People do not have to have been adopted to use this service, and PARC also offers support to those affected by family separation. While there are significant gaps in the records, files from 1967 do survive. If you would like to review your file this can be arranged. You will need to apply in writing and enclose copies of ID which will prove your identity and also explain any name changes. People who have been adopted should telephone first so staff can explain what additional information they need to supply.

Former residents are also entitled to complain to the Duty Counsellor at PARC if they have concerns about anything that happened while they were in care. Complaints will be taken seriously and will be treated in confidence and investigated by an independent person.

Related Glossary Terms

Related Legislation

Related Organisations

  • Benevolent Society of New South Wales (1813 - )

    The Benevolent Society of NSW established the Post Adoption Resource Centre in 1991.

    Date: 1991 -

  • Scarba House for Children (1965 - 1986)

    The staff of the Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC) is willing to discuss aspects of the history of Scarba House for Children with former clients and their relatives. While there are significant gaps in the records, files from 1967 do survive. PARC also handles complaints. People do not need to have been adopted to use this service.

  • Scarba Welfare House for Children (1920 - 1965)

    The staff of the Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC) is willing to discuss aspects of the history of Scarba Welfare House for Children with former clients and their relatives. PARC also handles complaints. People do not need to have been adopted to use this service.

  • Scarba Welfare House for Women and Children (1917 - 1920)

    The staff of the Post Adoption Resource Centre (PARC) is willing to discuss aspects of the history of Scarba Welfare House for Women and Children with former clients and their relatives. PARC also handles complaints. People do not need to have been adopted to use this service.

Publications

Reports

  • Squires, Kathryn and Slater, Lisa, Living at Scarba Home for Children: A history of the Scarba Welfare House for Children (1917-1986) in the context of child welfare practice in New South Wales, Benevolent Society, Paddington, 2006, 56 pp. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Adoption Information Act 1990
Title
Adoption Information Act 1990
Type
Document
Date
1990 - 2003
Source
NSW legislation

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Squires, Kathryn and Slater, Lisa, Living at Scarba Home for Children: A history of the Scarba Welfare House for Children (1917-1986) in the context of child welfare practice in New South Wales, Benevolent Society, Paddington, 2006, 56 pp; Thinee, Kristy and Bradford, Tracy, Connecting Kin: Guide to Records, A guide to help people separated from their families search for their records [completed in 1998], New South Wales Department of Community Services, Sydney, New South Wales, 1998, https://clan.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/connectkin_guide.pdf.

Prepared by: Naomi Parry