Phone Support:

  • 1800 16 11 09
    (free call)

Monday–Friday 9am–5pm

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What to expect when accessing records about you

What to expect when accessing records about you.

What to expect

Support Groups and Services

Find & Connect Support Service

The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) has funded a national network of Find & Connect Support Services for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants. These are:

  • NSW/ACT - Wattle Place (Relationships Australia)
  • VIC - Open Place (Berry Street)
  • QLD - Lotus Place (Micah Projects)
  • NT - Relationships Australia NT
  • TAS - Relationships Australia TAS
  • SA - Elm Place (Relationships Australia SA)
  • WA - Relationships Australia WA
Support Services in each state will assist 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

Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN)

A national network and advocacy group for care leavers and Forgotten Australians, providing information, understanding and emotional support.
Telephone: 1800 008 774
Website: http://www.clan.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] (08) 9472 7582 [Perth]
Website: http://www.childmigrantstrust.com/

There are also organisations in each state and territory which offer support to Forgotten Australians, Former Child Migrants and their family members. These links will take you to a list of support groups and services for each state:

Other organisations

Alliance for Forgotten Australians (AFA)

A national alliance of existing groups and individuals that promotes the needs of Forgotten Australians.
Telephone: (02) 6273 4885
Website: http://www.forgottenaustralians.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/

CREATE Foundation (ACT 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. CREATE Foundation is a national organisation with offices in each state.
Telephone: (02) 6253 1451 [Canberra] or 1800 655 105
Website: http://www.create.org.au/

Lifeline

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

Link-Up Services

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.
Telephone: 1800 624 332
Website: http://www.aiatsis.gov.au/fhu/linkup.html/

MensLine Australia

MensLine Australia is a 24-hour national telephone support, information and referral service for men with family and relationship concerns.
Telephone: 1300 78 99 78
Website: http://www.mensline.org.au/Home.html

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/

SNAICC

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