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
These records are held by State Records of South Australia (1919 - current).
State Records of South Australia holds a large collection of Client Files and Family Files that were kept by the State departments responsible for child and social welfare, as well as indexes that provide reference to these files. These files contain information about children in the child welfare system and their families, and include files about Aboriginal children, families, and individuals. They also include information about the paternity of children born out of wedlock, maintenance payments made for children who had been placed in ‘care’, and information about children and families who had interactions with the government departments responsible for child and social welfare but where children were not placed in out-of-home care.
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 restricted records please contact the Department for Child Protection Freedom of Information team. To arrange access to open records please contact State Records of South Australia.
The State Records South Australia collection of client files includes the following record series. Please be aware that for some types of records (as noted below) only a small sample of records were retained, while the remainder were destroyed.
Indexes
State Ward Index Cards, State Children’s Department and successors, 1900-1992 (GRS/4472)
The index cards contain basic information about state wards, foster children, and young people in the juvenile justice/reformatory system, including name, age date of birth, parent’s names, addresses, admission/discharge dates, court details, reason for admission, placement dates and locations, other remarks such as medical care or notes on schooling, and references to case files. The amount of information recorded in the index cards varies from person to person, and there may be multiple cards for one individual.
Master index cards relating to clients – Families SA and predecessors, 1974-2000 (GRS/7956)
Contains basic details about all people with client files created by the Social Welfare Departments, including state wards, foster children, children in private ‘care’, and adoptees.
Case files for children in care
Only a 5% sample of files in this series transferred to the archives after 1973 were kept. The remainder of files from this series have been destroyed.
Secure care file (86 file) estray documents, alphabetical series, 1966-1995 (GRS/11369)
Contains records that should have been placed on client files for children and young people in youth training/detention facilities, and in particular at the South Australian Youth Remand and Assessment Centre. Many of these files were destroyed, and only those relating to Aboriginal people or who’s surnames begin with the letter ‘P’ were retained.
Community residential care file (93 File) estray documents, 1978-1992 (GRS/11467)
Contains records that should have been placed on client files for children in community residential care.
Other case files and client files that include records relating to children in care
Case files relating to Aboriginal families and individuals, 1950-1971 (GRG29/168)
These files contain information about Aboriginal families, including Aboriginal young people who received youth counselling. Most of these files were initially created by the Aborigines Department, Aborigines Protection Board, or the Department of Aboriginal Affairs, and then later transferred to the custody of the Department of Community Welfare.
Client files, Social Welfare Department and its successors, 1904-2013 (GRS/856)
This series contains the master case files for clients of the Social Welfare Departments, including but not limited to state wards, juvenile offenders, children born out of wedlock, children in private care, foster parents, and some files about Aboriginal children and families. Files will relate to either an individual or a family. Not all client files have survived – for some time periods or types of files only a 5% sample were kept. In 1983 the Department decided to retain all files permanently.
Client files – Integrated Youth Services, Families SA, 1974-2004 (GRS/11812)
This series includes client files for young people involved with the Youth and Juvenile Justice system and associated services.
Revenue (Type 3) client files – Family Maintenance Branch, 1949-1995 (GRS/6636)
Contains files documenting maintenance payments made for children who were in state care or in foster placements.
Contains files referred to the Crown Solicitor, mostly children’s court cases relating to ‘In Need of Care Child Protection’ applications where the child’s parent was opposed to the child protection application.
Family files, 1940-1968 (GRG29/140)
Contains files relating to families under the supervision of the Social Welfare Departments. Only a 10% sample of files transferred to the archives after 1973 were retained.
Matrimonial (Type 20) client files – Family Maintenance Branch, 1931-1991 (GRS/6634)
Contains files relating to child support payments made by separated parents. Includes proof of paternity.
Client psychology files, 1970-1998 (GRS/3411)
Regional Office Client Files
These files relate to all different types of clients of the regional offices of Families SA and its predecessors, which may include children who were placed in out-of-home care.
Client files – Adelaide Office, Families SA, 1926-2011 (GRS/4198)
Client files – Ceduna Office, Families SA, 1923-2013 (GRS/3970)
Client files – Coober Pedy Office, Families SA, 1926-2011 (GRS/3971)
Client files – Elizabeth Office, Families SA, 1920-2008 (GRS/4200)
Client files – Gawler Office, Families SA, 1933-2012 (GRS4201)
Client files – Happy Valley, later Aberfoyle Park Office, Families SA, 1950-2012 (GRS/4202)
Client files – Marion Office, Families SA, 1933-2009 (GRS/4204)
Client files – Modbury, later North East District Centre, Families SA, 1921-2010, (GRS/4203)
Client files – Mount Gambier, later Limestone Coast District Centre, Families SA, 1935-2008 (GRS/4209)
Client files – Murray Bridge Office, Families SA, 1930-2013 (GRS/4208)
Client files – Noarlunga, later Onkaparinga District Centre, Families SA, 1927-2009 (GRS/4205)
Client files – Port Augusta Office, Families SA, 1920-2014 (GRS/3722)
Client files – Port Lincoln District Centre, Families SA, 1929-2013 (GRS/3969)
Client files – Port Pirie District Centre, Families SA, 1927-2012 (GRS/3967)
Client files – Riverland District Centre, Families SA, 1934-2011 (GRS/4210)
Client files – Salisbury Office, Families SA, 1929-2010 (GRS/4206)
Client files – Whyalla Office, Families SA, 1924-2012 (GRS/3721)
Client files – Woodville Office, Families SA, 1918-2013 (GRS/4207)