"Hillside," Randwick. Home for mothers with their babies., c. 1914, courtesy of W.A. Gullick, Government Printer.
Details
Hillside Home for Mothers and Babies was located at the Randwick Asylum for Destitute Children and was established by the State Children's Relief Board in 1913. In 1915, when the New South Wales Government resumed Randwick Asylum for use as accommodation for World War I soldiers, Hillside Home moved to Ormond House in Paddington. It was converted to Hillside, a training home for teenaged girls, in 1920.
Hillside Home for Mothers and Babies was opened in October 1913. It was one of a number of homes established by the Board under the Infant Protection Act 1904. It was intended to keep unmarried mothers together with their babies until the child was weaned, as the State Children's Relief Board was concerned about the very high rate of death amongst 'illegitimate' babies who were placed in babies' homes because their mothers had to support themselves.
The idea behind Hillside was to support mothers to breastfeed for an extended period. Once the baby was weaned the mother could try to find employment that allowed her to keep the child or the baby could be placed in the boarding out system (foster care).
1913 - 1920 Hillside Home for Mothers and Babies
1920 - 1923? Hillside Training Home for Girls
Sources used to compile this entry: Report of the State Children's Relief Board, W.A. Gullick, Government Printer, Sydney, 1894-1920. Also available at https://www.opengov.nsw.gov.au/main.
Prepared by: Naomi Parry
Created: 21 June 2012, Last modified: 10 March 2014
Last updated: 4 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/nsw/biogs/NE01160b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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