The Sandhurst Industrial School was established in 1868, within the grounds of the Bendigo (or Sandhurst) Benevolent Asylum. The Neglected and Criminal Children’s Act 1864 allowed for the establishment of private industrial schools. There were 3 private industrial schools in Victoria, the other two (in Geelong and Abbotsford) were Catholic institutions. Neglected children had been housed…
The Adoption and Family Records Service (AFRS) was a program within the Department of Human Services (DHS) for former wards of the state of Victoria and their families. The purpose of the Service was to release state ward files and provide assistance to locate other relevant records and information; give counselling and support and referrals…
The Children’s Welfare Advisory Council came into being with the passage of the Children’s Welfare Act 1954. The Council consisted of representatives nominated by the Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria and the Victorian Council of Social Service. Its name changed to the Family Welfare Advisory Council with the passage of the Social Welfare Act 1960….
The Anglican (Church of England) Diocese of Ballarat has been in existence since at least 1863. The Diocese ran the St Cuthbert’s Children’s Home in Colac from 1948. The affairs of St Cuthbert’s Children’s Home were conducted by a Board of Management consisting of local citizens of the Colac and district community.
The Central Dorcas Society was a Wesleyan organisation established at a meeting of over 100 women in 1888. The aims of the Society were ‘to help the poor and look after waifs’. After a name change to the Central Dorcas Association Help and Rescue Society, in 1891 the Society became known as the Wesleyan Church…
The Salvation Army EastCare Network was established in 1995. The Network operates a range of programs in the Department of Human Services’ Eastern Metropolitan Region.
Peninsula Youth and Family Services (PYFS) is part of the Salvation Army’s South East Services Network in Victoria. PYFS has offices in Frankston, Mornington and Rosebud.
The Gordon Institute, Melbourne, was established in 1886. It offered boys classes and a place to socialise. The Institute aimed to find boys work placements in the country, but did accommodate some boys aged 5 to 14. In 1951, new facilities were opened in Highett, and the institution became known as the Gordon Home for…
Bethany Community Support, a child and family welfare agency, was formed in 1977. Formerly, Bethany operated as an adoption agency and babies home, and was known as the Bethany Babies’ Home. Bethany Community Support was an independent, voluntary organisation with no political or religious affiliations. In April 2023, Bethany merged with Barwon Child Youth &…
The Victorian Children’s Aid Society was established in 1920. It was formerly the Victorian Neglected Children’s Aid Society. It ran the Victorian Children’s Aid Home, located in Parkville until around 1966. In 1966 the Society moved the Home (which was renamed Swinburne House) and headquarters to Black Rock. From the 1970s, the Society expanded into…
Dec 18, 2024
Nov 15, 2024
