Gateway Children’s Home, at Lewisham, was set up by the Central Methodist Mission in 1964 as a short-term childcare centre for children in crisis. It had accommodation for 14 children. In 2014, Wesley Dalmar Children’s Services (part of Wesley Mission) ran the premises as Gateway Children’s Cottage (also called Gateway House), a crisis care accommodation program. In 2017, this program ended and the service closed down.
Gateway Children’s Home was established in 1964 in response to the need for emergency accomodation in Sydney for children. It was the only Home in the state where children could be admitted immediately.
In December 1965, Gateway Children’s Home reported in The Sydney Morning Herald that 144 children had been admitted during the year. It could accommodate 14 children, and another three in an emergency. The same article reported “We eiter try to get him back home, or to a foster home or have the child adopted. If these alternatives are not possible the child, after a period of adjustment, goes to one of our other two [Central Methodist Mission] homes”
The Home was financially supported through fundraising, including the annual Carols by Candlelight event at Christmas, and received small amounts of funding from parents.
From
1964
To
2017
Alternative Names
Gateway House
Gateway Children's Cottage
Gateway Cottage
1964 - 2017
Gateway Children's Home was located on the corner of Toothill Street and The Boulevard, Lewisham, New South Wales (Building Still standing)