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Seventh Day Adventist Adoption Agency

Seventh Day Adventist Adoption Agency provided adoption services in New South Wales until 1993. Its records are held by the Department of Community Services’ Adoption Information Service. The files relating to adoptions arranged by the Seventh Day Adventist Adoption Agency, which ceased operating in 1993, were transferred to the Department of Community Services’ Adoption Information…

Masonic Orphan Schools

Masonic Orphan Schools was founded in 1922 at Baulkham Hills (in Sydney’s north west) for the care and education of the children of deceased Freemasons. In 1924 its name was changed to William Thompson Memorial School. In 2012 Find and Connect staff were advised by the United Grand Lodge of the Masons NSW/ACT that all…

William Thompson Masonic School

The William Thompson Masonic School was founded in 1922 at Baulkham Hills (in Sydney’s north west) for the care and education of the children of deceased Freemasons. It had previously been Masonic Orphan Schools. Different sources give different dates when the school was closed. The site was sold to the Hills Shire Council in December…

United Protestant Association of New South Wales Ltd

The United Protestant Association of New South Wales Ltd (UPA) is a Christian welfare organisation established in 1938. By 1953, the UPA had established 13 children’s homes throughout New South Wales. Each Home came under the jurisdiction and guidance of a District Executive, who reported to a State Council. More than 3,000 children, including British…

Commonwealth Street Mission

The Commonwealth Street Mission was established by the Sydney Rescue Work Society in approximately 1910. It provided food, shelter and clothing for homeless and destitute men and women. It closed around the 1970s.

Integricare

Integricare is a Christian, non-government service that runs child care facilities and playgroups across Sydney. It is the successor of Communicare and the Sydney Rescue Work Society. It also provides permission to access the records of Sydney Rescue Work Society agencies, including South Sydney Women’s Hospital and the Sydney Rescue Work Society Adoption Agency, as…

Blue Ribbon Gospel Army

The Blue Ribbon Gospel Army was established by Sydney philanthropist and evangelist George Edward Ardill in 1882. It provided a range of services to the destitute of the city, including the Open All Night Refuge, the Jubilee Home for Domestic Servants and the Home of Hope for Friendless and Fallen Women. It seems that Ardill…

Communicare Sydney

Communicare Sydney, which began in 1982, was the new name for the Sydney Rescue Work Society. It was a Christian non-government service that was a provider of child care services, including long day care centres, pre-schools, family day care and OOSH centres. It ran many of its services in the same buildings used by former…

Sydney Rescue Work Society

The Sydney Rescue Work Society was formed in 1890 to ‘take over, continue and strengthen the Rescue Work for seven years usefully and beneficially carried on by Mr G.E. Ardill and his philanthropic co-workers’. It ran numerous refuges and homes for women and children in Sydney and surrounding suburbs. From 1911 until at least the…

On Track

On Track began operating in 1994 under the auspice of Stretch-A-Family Inc, working with young people aged fifteen to eighteen to provide residential care and preparation for independent living. On Track ceased operating in 2020 when Stretch-A-Family stopped providing out-of-home care.