Find and Connect was established to help Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants understand more about their past and about the historical context of child welfare in Australia. We assist people who spent time in an orphanage, children’s homes or foster care in Australia.
We cannot directly assist with family history research.
Historical Child Welfare Records
If your ancestor or relative encountered the child welfare system, for example was in an institution, in out-of-home or foster care, or was adopted, most state archives provide guides on searching the welfare records they hold:
NSW historical child welfare records information
Victorian historical child welfare records information
Tasmanian historical child welfare records information
QLD historical child welfare records information (schools, hospitals and orphanages in the one guide)
SA historical child welfare records information
ACT Finding Aid Child Welfare Policy Records (pdf)
The WA State Records Office and NT Library and Archives hold records but do not have a finding aid or guide.
Researching Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family History
The fact that a child was Aboriginal was not often recorded in official welfare records. Aboriginal children were removed from family and community and placed in institutions under legislation specifically related for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as under general child welfare legislation.
Even if the records do not specifically indicate a child’s Aboriginality, sometimes this can be established from other clues. A child’s Aboriginal identity could be assumed with a knowledge of Aboriginal family names and the locations where many communities were formed. Another factor which might indicate that a child was Aboriginal is the use of ‘value-based dispositions’ in the records, and value judgements that demonstrated little or no knowledge of Aboriginal culture. For example, references to ‘over-crowding’ might be a sign of an extended family living in a household. Also, children who were judged to have been ‘abandoned’ were in fact in the care of extended families and community members. And, in many cases, the outright racist language in the files can provide evidence of a child’s identity (Briskman, Home: still waiting, 1997).
There are a range of guides online about researching Aboriginal family history, and national and state record access services.
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in Canberra holds a unique collection of records including film, photographs, video and audio recordings and the world’s largest compilation of printed materials and other resources relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The collection can be searched online.
The Archives of the South Australian Museum holds a wide range of records valuable for genealogical searching for people with Aboriginal of Torres Strait Islander heritage. The Museum holds the Tindale collection which includes genealogies, information cards, photographs, maps and other information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.
Some states also have Aboriginal Family History Research Units, which may be helpful in your search.
National
Guides: National Archives of Australia guide: Finding Records relating to First Australians
National Library of Australia First Australians family history
AIATSIS family history guide
Database: Centre for Indigenous Family History Studies
NSW
Guide: State Library First Nations Family History Research Guide
Records access services: Aboriginal Affairs NSW Family Records Service provides access to records about Aboriginal people created by the NSW government
NT
Guide: Aboriginal family history searching guide (pdf)
Qld
Guide: State Library Who’s your mob guide
Records access services: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family history (provides access to records about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people created by the Qld government)
SA
Guide: State Library of SA Aboriginal Family History guide
Records access services: SA Museum Aboriginal family history unit (provides access to records held by the SA Museum Archives)
State Records SA Aboriginal Access Service (provides access to records about Aboriginal people held by State Records SA)
Victoria
Guide: State Library Victorian Aboriginal family history
Records access services: Koorie Records Unit at the Public Record Office Victoria (provides access to records about Aboriginal people held by the Public Record Office Victoria)
Koorie Heritage Trust Family History Service
Tasmania
Guide: State Library and Archives of Tasmania guide to Tasmanian Aboriginal people
Records access services: Tasmanian Information and Research Service
WA
Guide: State Library Aboriginal family history guide
Records access services: Aboriginal family history unit (provides access to records created by the WA government, and some private collections)
Researching Child Migrant Family History
National Archives of Australia holds records relating to the immigration of child and youth migrants.
The Council for Australasian Archives and Records Authorities has published a guide to accessing Child Migrant records (pdf) held by commonwealth and state archives.
If the child/youth migrant spent time in an institution in Australia, there may be records about this in other collections. The Find & Connect web resource has entries about these child and youth migrant institutions, existing records and how to access them.
The Child Migrants Trust provides services to Former Child Migrants from Britain to Australia including family research, access to records and specialised counselling.
Researching Family History (general)
The National Library (NLA)
The NLA has developed a comprehensive resource section for researching family histories, including guides, information and relevant links. You can find it here: https://www.library.gov.au/research/family-history
Other useful resources
Genealogical Societies & Historical Societies – online databases, library resources and valuable advice
Directories – commercially published volumes listing primary occupant of residences and businesses – useful for locating where people lived and who their neighbours were
Electoral Rolls – current Commonwealth and state rolls are searchable online at the electoral office in each capital city. Past rolls in hard copy or on microfiche are accessible in state libraries
Land Titles records offices – for researching house and land ownership
Council Archives – assessment books, local government records, maps, plans, photos, oral histories
Government and Police Gazettes – information about government institutions, Acts and Regulations, employees, criminal activities, absconding, inquests, missing persons
School Records – admission records, yearbooks, newsletters, photographs
Church and Parish Records – baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials, church newsletters, photos
University Archives – University archives may hold records relating to family history and child welfare as well as business records, local history information and university information
Newspapers – Family and personal notices, court proceedings, parliamentary reports, articles about child welfare institutions
Cemetery and burial records – Information about locations of graves, markers and burials
Paid Services
Some people might choose to hire the services of a family history expert. The Society of Australian Genealogists and the National Archives of Australia have lists of professional research agents and genealogists who can be employed to search for records or visit archives on your behalf.
There are also family history websites that you can search for family history information. You can take out a subscription or many public libraries allow free access to subscription sites.