The Gordon Homes for Boys and Girls

The Gordon Homes for Boys and Girls, Highett, was the new name given in 1969 to the Gordon Homes for Boys. By the early 1970s, the Homes operated eight family group homes, in six suburbs. In 2000, the organisation changed its name to GordonCare for Children.

Notice of the change of name from Gordon Homes for Boys to ‘The Gordon Homes for Boys and Girls’ appeared in the Victorian Government Gazette No 94 on 22 October 1969.

By the early 1970s, the Homes operated eight family group homes, in six suburbs. This development was funded by the subdivision of the site on Nepean Highway, although the administration building and one special Cottage were retained on the original site.

The Gordon Hostel was located on Nepean Highway, Highett in the 1970s. According to the annual report of the Social Welfare Department (1971), youth hostels at that time were for ‘young people not yet able to function in the community without the safeguards and support that a hostel provides’, as well as for young person placed on probation by the Courts.

During the 1970s the children placed at Gordon Homes were older and stayed for shorter periods. This was due to the general introduction of foster care for wards and the increased provision of counselling and support services to encourage the return of children to their families.

In 2000, the organisation changed its name to GordonCare for Children.

In June 2012 the GordonCare Committee of Management concluded its contract with the Department of Human Services ending its life as a provider of residential care.

National Redress Scheme for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse

In 2021, the Victorian government has agreed to be a funder of last resort for this institution. This means that although the institution is now defunct, it is participating in the National Redress Scheme, and the government has agreed to pay the institution’s share of costs of providing redress to a person (as long as the government is found to be equally responsible for the abuse a person experienced).