A Royal Commission was appointed to examine the State Children Department and Charities Department, and report on “the working and management thereof, and any improvements which ought to be made in such working and management” (Final Report, Royal Commission on State Children’s Department and Charities Department, p.2). The commission held 42 sittings and examined 77…
The Western Australian government’s Standing Committee on Environment and Public Affairs commenced an inquiry into past forced adoptive policies and practices on 22 February 2023. The impetus for this inquiry was a petition with 318 signatures, presented by Jennifer McRae and tabled in the Legislative Council on 15 November 2022. The terms of reference for…
The Royal Commission appointed to Inquire into the Care and Reform of Youthful Delinquents was established in Western Australia on 11 May 1943 and reported on 10 August 1943. Key recommendations included establishing a cross-Departmental Children’s Council, ‘drastically’ restricting the publication of Children’s Court proceedings; improving remand facilities and constructing secure detention facilities for boys…
A Royal Commission on Youth Employment and the Apprenticeship System was established by the Western Australian government on 5 April 1937 and the Report was tabled on 28 February 1938. The systems of training at Fairbridge Farm School, the Unemployed Boys’ Farm at Wokalup, Werribee Farm School and Tardun Farm School were described and a…
A coronial inquiry into the death of 9 year-old George Everett Jones and the management of the Swan Boys’ Orphanage was held in Perth in June-July 1911. It was found that George’s death was accelerated by the ‘gross negligence and want of attention by the matron’ of the orphanage; that the Anglican Orphanages Committee had…
A departmental inquiry into allegations of starvation at the Swan Boys’ Orphanage was established by the Colonial Secretary in April 1911 and was concluded by May 1911. The inquiry, conducted by the Under-Secretary of the Colonial Secretary’s Department, Mr FD North, found the allegations of insufficient feeding were ‘entirely unsubstantiated’. A departmental inquiry into allegations…
A Select Committee of the Legislative Council of Western Australia was established on 15 October 1918 to inquire into the matters proposed in the State Children Act Amendment Bill (to amend the State Children Act Amendment Act 1915). TheCommittee made recommendations about the systems of ‘boarding out’ and institutional care of children and infants, the…
On 24 February 2010, the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued an apology to child migrants, for the United Kingdom’s role in deporting thousands of children to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Some former child migrants were funded by the British Government to go to London and hear the Prime Minister’s statement…
The Royal Commission into Queen’s Asylum, conducted by Dr John Coverdale, opened in January 1867. Although its purpose was to cut costs at the Asylum, it failed to make any recommendations for this. It reported in December 1867. According to Joan Brown, the government appointed the Royal Commission to consider reducing expenditure at the Asylum….
The Select Committee on Child Protection was set up in October 2010 and reported in 2011. It found that the child protection system was under ‘serious stress’ and that as a result, children were not receiving the care and protection that they needed. The situation was not caused by child protection workers, who did a…
May 3, 2024
Apr 24, 2024
