Lost Innocents: Righting the Record Report on Child Migration outlined the role of the sending agencies. The 1946 Empire Settlement Act enabled the British Government 'in partnership with the Australian Government' to enter into agreements with each of the sending agencies, as follows:
'The voluntary societies and sending agencies were responsible for the administration of the schemes. They were required to provide information to the UK Secretary of State for his authorisation to migrate children. However, 'it appears that in practice they dealt with all decision making processes and procedures in relation to the selection of children, consents and migration arrangements' (p.26)'
There was a similar type of agreement between the Australian and Maltese governments:
'In February 1950 a formal agreement between the Maltese Government and the Catholic hierarchy in Australia was signed with Australian Government approval regarding child emigration from Malta. The Agreement provided that 'the [Maltese] Minister shall undertake all the general administrative work in Malta connected with the said scheme including the selection of the children under the control of the Maltese Government and their approval by the Australian Government and the Australian Catholic Church Immigration Authorities prior to embarkation for Australia'. The Agreement also provided that the Catholic Immigration Committee 'undertake that the training of the children admitted to the Institutions under this Agreement shall be of the kind that shall fit them for life in Australia' (pp.119-120).'
The key sending agencies responsible for child migration to Western Australia were:
Children from Malta came through the Catholic Church hierarchy rather than separate sending agencies.
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Last updated:
08 February 2019
Cite this: http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/wa/WE00825
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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