Kalgoorlie Group Home was established as a government-run facility to accommodate Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children, usually aged under 5 years, on a short term or emergency basis in a family-style home. It replaced the Goldfields Group Home. In 2014, it remained open.
The Kalgoorlie Group Home has operated almost continuously since it was established as a purpose-built facility by the Department for Community Services in 1987. Government reports (Signposts 2004, pp.256-257) show that during 1995, child welfare authorities had allowed foster parents to use the property, and it was not operating on a group home model at that time. However, by 1997 it was again reported as being a group home for children under the age of 5 years, including infants with the medical condition known as 'failure to thrive' and other children for whom a more permanent placement was sought.
In 2014, the Kalgoorlie Group Home remained open.
Sources used to compile this entry: Information Services, Department for Community Development, 'pp.256-257', Signposts: A Guide for Children and Young People in Care in WA from 1920, Government of Western Australia, 2004, https://signposts.communities.wa.gov.au//pdf/pdf.aspx; Department for Child Protection and Family Support, internal document 'Country Family Group Homes - All Items' received 7 March 2014.
Prepared by: Anna Trengove, Leanne Howard and Debra Rosser
Created: 15 March 2011, Last modified: 10 July 2014