Timeline of significant Events and Legislation in the History of Child Welfare in Victoria
- 1850s
- 1860s
- 1870s
- 1880s
- 1890s
- 1900s
- 1910s
- 1920s
- 1930s
- 1940s
- 1950s
- 1960s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- 2010s
1840s
1850s
- Emergency Shelter: early colonial child welfare (1835 - 1850)
- Opening of Victoria's first children's institution (1850)
- The Gold Rushes in Victoria (1851 - c. 1869)
- Select Committee of Inquiry upon Penal Discipline (1856 - 1857)
1860s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- An Act for Hospitals and Charitable Institutions 1864 (Vic), Colony of Victoria (1864 - 1890)
- Reformatories and Industrial Schools: the government enters child welfare (1864 - 1887)
- Neglected and Criminal Children's Act 1864, Colony of Victoria
- Aborigines Protection Act 1869, Colony of Victoria (1869 - 1890)
1870s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- An Act for Hospitals and Charitable Institutions 1864 (Vic), Colony of Victoria (1864 - 1890)
- Reformatories and Industrial Schools: the government enters child welfare (1864 - 1887)
- Aborigines Protection Act 1869, Colony of Victoria (1869 - 1890)
- Royal Commission into Charitable Institutions (1870)
- Royal Commission on Penal and Prison Discipline (1871 - 1872)
- Neglected and Criminal Children's Amendment Act 1874, Colony of Victoria
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- Neglected and Criminal Children's Amendment Act 1878 (Vic), Colony of Victoria
1880s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- An Act for Hospitals and Charitable Institutions 1864 (Vic), Colony of Victoria (1864 - 1890)
- Reformatories and Industrial Schools: the government enters child welfare (1864 - 1887)
- Aborigines Protection Act 1869, Colony of Victoria (1869 - 1890)
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- An Act for the further Amendment of the Law relating to Neglected and Criminal Children 1881 ( Vic), Colony of Victoria
- Public Health Amendment Act 1883, Colony of Victoria (1883 - 1890)
- Aborigines Protection Act 1886, Colony of Victoria
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Juvenile Offenders' Act 1887, Colony of Victoria
- Neglected Children's Act 1887, Colony of Victoria
1890s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- An Act for Hospitals and Charitable Institutions 1864 (Vic), Colony of Victoria (1864 - 1890)
- Aborigines Protection Act 1869, Colony of Victoria (1869 - 1890)
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- Public Health Amendment Act 1883, Colony of Victoria (1883 - 1890)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Infant Life Protection Act 1890, Colony of Victoria
- Neglected Children's Act 1890, Colony of Victoria
- Royal Commission into Charitable Institutions (1890 - 1895)
1900s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Crimes Act 1890, Colony of Victoria (1890 - 1915)
- Aborigines Act 1890, Colony of Victoria (1890 - 1915)
- Children's Court Act 1906, State of Victoria
- Infant Life Protection Act 1907, State of Victoria (1907 - 1915)
1910s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Crimes Act 1890, Colony of Victoria (1890 - 1915)
- Aborigines Act 1890, Colony of Victoria (1890 - 1915)
- Infant Life Protection Act 1907, State of Victoria (1907 - 1915)
- Aborigines Act 1910 (Vic.), State of Victoria (1910 - 1915)
- Neglected Children's Act 1915, State of Victoria
- Infant Life Protection Act 1915, State of Victoria (1915 - 1928)
- Children's Maintenance Act 1919, State of Victoria (1919 - 1928)
1920s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Wattle Day Appeal (c. 1910 - c. 1975)
- Infant Life Protection Act 1915, State of Victoria (1915 - 1928)
- Children's Maintenance Act 1919, State of Victoria (1919 - 1928)
- Hospitals and Charities Act 1922, State of Victoria (1922 - 1928)
- Children's Welfare Act 1924, State of Victoria
- Children's Welfare Act 1926
- Children's Maintenance Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1957)
- Children's Welfare Act 1928, State of Victoria
- Adoption of Children Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1958)
1930s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Wattle Day Appeal (c. 1910 - c. 1975)
- Children's Maintenance Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1957)
- Adoption of Children Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1958)
- Children's Welfare Act 1933, State of Victoria
- Mental Deficiency Act 1939, State of Victoria (1939 - 1958)
1940s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Boarding out: government reform of child welfare (1874 - 1940)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Wattle Day Appeal (c. 1910 - c. 1975)
- Children's Maintenance Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1957)
- Adoption of Children Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1958)
- Mental Deficiency Act 1939, State of Victoria (1939 - 1958)
- Medical experiments (c. 1945 - c. 1970)
- Care of Children Committee (1946)
- Post-War Child Migration to Victoria (1949 - c. 1967)
1950s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Wattle Day Appeal (c. 1910 - c. 1975)
- Children's Maintenance Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1957)
- Adoption of Children Act 1928, State of Victoria (1928 - 1958)
- Mental Deficiency Act 1939, State of Victoria (1939 - 1958)
- Medical experiments (c. 1945 - c. 1970)
- Post-War Child Migration to Victoria (1949 - c. 1967)
- Children's Welfare Act 1954, State of Victoria
- McLean Inquiry into the Aborigines Act (1955 - 1957)
- Children's Court Act 1956, State of Victoria (1956 - 1958)
- Aborigines Act 1957, State of Victoria
- Children's Court Act 1958, State of Victoria (1958 - 1973)
- Mental Health Act 1959, State of Victoria
- Declaration of the Rights of the Child (1959)
1960s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Wattle Day Appeal (c. 1910 - c. 1975)
- Medical experiments (c. 1945 - c. 1970)
- Post-War Child Migration to Victoria (1949 - c. 1967)
- Children's Court Act 1958, State of Victoria (1958 - 1973)
- Adoption Act 1964, State of Victoria
- Committee of inquiry into allegations of neglect and maltreatment of young children, State of Victoria (1966 - 1969)
1970s
- Orphanages: the first institutions (1850 - 1977)
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Wattle Day Appeal (c. 1910 - c. 1975)
- Medical experiments (c. 1945 - c. 1970)
- Children's Court Act 1958, State of Victoria (1958 - 1973)
- Social Welfare Act 1960, State of Victoria (1960 - 1970)
- Social Welfare Act 1970, State of Victoria
- Children's Court Act 1973, State of Victoria (1973 - 1989)
- Public Records Act 1973, State of Victoria
- Status of Children Act 1974, State of Victoria
- Committee of Enquiry into Child Care Services (1975 - 1976)
- Social Welfare (Administration) Act 1977, State of Victoria
- Community Welfare Services Act 1978, State of Victoria
- International Year of the Child (1979)
1980s
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Adoption of Children (Information) Act 1980, State of Victoria
- Child Welfare Practice and Legislation Review (c. 1982 - 1984)
- Inquiry into Children in Institutional and Other Forms of Care (1982 - 1985)
- Freedom of Information Act 1982, State of Victoria
- Introduction of the annual review of wardship (1983)
- Adoption Act 1984, State of Victoria
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989)
- Children and Young Persons Act 1989, State of Victoria
1990s
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families (1995 - 1997)
- Victorian Government Apology to the Stolen Generations (17 September 1997)
- Commission of inquiry into abuse of children in Queensland institutions (1998 - 1999)
2000s
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Information Privacy Act 2000, State of Victoria
- Inquiry Into Child Migration (2000 - 2001)
- Ombudsman's Review of Abuse while in State Care, State of Tasmania (2003 - 2006)
- Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care (2003 - 2004)
- Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry, State of South Australia (2004 - 2008)
- Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, State of Victoria
- Children Youth and Families Act 2005, State of Victoria
- Victorian Government Apology to Forgotten Australians (9 August 2006)
- Inquiry into the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Lost Innocents and Forgotten Australians Reports (2008 - 2009)
- Australian Parliament Apology to the Stolen Generations (13 February 2008)
- Australian Parliament Apology to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants (16 November 2009)
2010s
- Reformatories, Youth Training Centres, Juvenile Justice Centres and Youth Justice Centres: the government response to juvenile correction (1887 - )
- Review of Government Compensation Payments (2010)
- Apology by the General of the Salvation Army General Shaw Clifton, to care leavers of Salvation Army homes (2010 - )
- Commonwealth Contribution to Former Forced Adoption Policies and Practices (2011 - 2012)
- Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children Inquiry (2011 - 2012)
- Ombudsman's investigation into the storage and management of ward records by the Department of Human Services, State of Victoria (2011 - 2012)
- Inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other organisations (2012 - )
- Parliamentary Apology for Past Adoption Practices, Parliament of Victoria (25 October 2012)
Last updated: 16 May 2013
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First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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