Please contact the Freedom of Information Team at the Department for Child Protection:
Phone: (08) 8226 4399
Postal address: GPO Box 1072, Adelaide SA 5001
Email: DCP.FOI@sa.gov.au
Website, Out-of-Home Care information: https://www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/research-and-publications/freedom-information/provision-information-care-leavers
Website, Adoptions information: https://www.childprotection.sa.gov.au/support-and-guidance/adoption-processes/applying-for-adoption-information
Quote this number to access your records: State Records of South Australia Series ID, GRG29/108
These records are part of Records of the Social Welfare Department and predecessors (1849 - c. 1987).
This series of ‘files relating to children under departmental supervision’ (GRG 29/108) covering the years 1950 to 1978 follows on from GRG 29/123 which covers the years 1920-1950. These files were a series of correspondence dockets on different subjects created when necessary. Each docket relates to a child who was under departmental care. Unfortunately due to policies related to privacy in the 1970s, many of the files in this series from 1973 onwards were destroyed. Only a 5% sample of the files that post-date 1973 have been retained.
Access to these records is restricted for 100 years in order to protect personal privacy. People mentioned in these records have a right to access information about themselves. To request access to these records please contact the Department for Child Protection Freedom of Information team.
Each docket carried a reference made up of a number and the year in which it was create so for example 1/1953 would be the first docket created in 1953 and 2/1953, the second. Sometimes a number of dockets might be created relating to one child. Each would have a different reference number.
Although each docket concerns a particular child, the name on the file is not always that of the child. Files are also titled with the name of the parent or a foster carer. This series relates to children who came into care from 1950-1978.
This series is arranged alphabetically by surname.