Swan House was a children’s home in the town of Traralgon, established by the Victorian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1968. It provided temporary care for up to eight preschool and school age children. In 1971, Swan House relocated to a purpose-built facility in the town of Sale. Admissions to Swan…
Currawong House, in Hamilton, was established by the Children’s Protection Society in 1976. It provided up to 6 weeks of emergency residential care for up to 8 children, aged up to 15. In 1991, Currawong House amalgamated with several other agencies to form the South Western Community Care Association Inc. Currawong House offered temporary emergency…
Alys Key House, in Heidelberg, opened in December 1976. It provided temporary care for children and was run by the Children’s Protection Society (CPS). Alys Key House replaced Robin House in Fitzroy, another facility which was run by the CPS. The CPS withdrew from the management of Alys Key House in 1985. According to Jenkinson,…
Robin House was a children’s home in Fitzroy, established by the Victorian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in 1962. Robin House was a small, temporary care unit, accommodating 12 children between the ages of 2 and 14 years. In December 1976, Robin House closed, and was replaced by Alys Keys House, in…
The McOwan Boys’ Training Farm, run by the Presbyterian Church, was established at Yarra Junction in around 1953 and officially opened in 1956. The Farm was for boys between the ages of 14 and 18. It appears to have closed around 1957. The McOwan Boys’ Training Farm, run by the Presbyterian Church, was situated in…
The Excelsior Boys’ Home, in North Brighton, was established by William Groom in 1886. Initially, the Home provided temporary accommodation for boys until they could be placed in suitable situations (generally in the country). In 1893 it was proclaimed as a private reformatory under the Juvenile Offenders Act 1887. The Home closed in around 1915….
The Ministering Children’s League was a British organisation founded in 1884, with branches operating globally and across Australia. The League conducted charitable work, such as supporting, fundraising for, and running various institutions such as hospitals, respite/convalescent homes, and children’s homes. The League was non-sectarian and included adult and child members. It operated with the objective…
The state government of Victoria established the inter departmental committee of inquiry into allegations of neglect and maltreatment of young children to investigate claims made in articles published in the Medical Journal of Australia in 1966. The committee was set up in December 1966 and first reported in December 1967. A second report was delivered…
The Mental Health Act 1959 (No. 6605) brought into being the Mental Health Authority (the successor to the Mental Hygiene Authority). It consolidated and amended the law relating to the treatment and care of people described in the legislation as ‘the mentally ill and the intellectually defective’. The Mental Health Act 1959 was passed on…
The Sunshine Boys’ Hostel was established by the Victorian government in 1959, partly to ease overcrowding at Turana. The Hostel accommodated up to 15 young men, who needed ‘more than the usual help and supervision’ offered by other hostels. Sunshine Boys’ Hostel offered accommodation for boys who were ‘not normally acceptable in the hostels conducted…
Dec 18, 2024
Nov 15, 2024
