Please contact the Freedom of Information Team at the Department for Child Protection:
Phone: (08) 8226 4399
Postal address: Ground Floor, Building 2, 300 Richmond Road, Netley SA 5037
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 Agency ID, GRG27 & GRG29
These records are held by State Records of South Australia (1919 - current).
State Records of South Australia holds records that contain information about foster mothers and maternity homes. The records were kept by the State departments responsible for child and social welfare. The records contain details about women who were licensed to be foster mothers for children in State care, details about children who were placed in the care of these women, reports on conditions in foster homes, details of unmarried women who gave birth in maternity homes, details about children born outside of marriage, and reports on conditions at maternity homes.
Access to these records is restricted for 100 years in order to protect personal privacy. Many of these records are still restricted, while others are open and can be viewed by any member of the public. 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. Some open access records have been digitised and are available online via the links below.
Reports – Inspectress of Licensed Foster Mothers and Wetnurses, 1881-1909 (GRG27/19)
Includes information about the Salvation Army Adelaide Maternity Home. Three indexes to these reports, arranged by surname of the nurse, has been published by State Records of South Australia here: Index One A-F, Index Two G-M, Index Three N-Z. The full digitised reports are available via Family Search (users must sign up for a free account with Family Search to view the register).
Register of licensed foster mothers – State Children’s Department, 1886-1910 (GRG27/17)
An index to this register has been published by State Records of South Australia here: Index to Licences granted to Foster Mothers
Reports by inspectress of lying-in homes, 1900-1910 (GRG27/15)
Includes reports about the Salvation Army Maternity Home, The Queen’s Home, the House of Mercy Walkerville, and the Roman Catholic Refuge (St Joseph’s) Fullarton.
Reports and correspondence concerning foster mothers and applicants, 1910-1940 (GRG29/93)
Reports by inspectors of licenced foster mothers and maternity homes, 1938-1952 (GRG29/81)
Card index to reports by inspectors of licensed foster mothers and maternity homes, 1947-1951 (GRG29/82)
Licensed foster mother files, 1959-1970 (GRG29/137)
This series contains records relating to children born out-of-wedlock. Only a 5% sample of these files have been retained.