The Child Welfare Ordinance 1957 (Act no. 17/1957) ended the application of NSW child welfare legislation in the ACT. A child committed to an institution by an ACT court could still be removed to NSW for detention and maintenance in a State institution. It commenced on 1 March 1958, and was repealed by the Children’s Services Act 1986 on 26 April 1988.
The Ordinance specified that where a court committed a child or young person to the care of the Minister on the grounds that the child was ‘neglected,’ or where a parent had consented to the admission of a child or young person to government control, the child could be apprenticed, boarded out, placed out or placed as an adopted boarder. The court could also commit a ‘neglected’ child to an institution.
The 1957 Ordinance was amended by the Child Welfare Amendment Ordinance 1979 (Cth) – which removed the powers of the Minister to place a ward as an adopted boarder or apprentice. Instead the minister was to provide accommodation and maintenance for the child admitted to government control. The minister could revoke an admission to government control on the application of a relative.
Amended by Act No.14 1962, Act No.27 1968, Act No.17 1969, Act No.32 1971, Act No.36 1973, Act No.47 1974, Act No.17 1975, Act No.65 1977, Act No.8 1979 , Act No.25 1979, Act no.57 1982, Act No.9 1985, Act No.59 1985, Act No.66 1985, Act No.67 1985, Act No.26 1987