Ross Fact-Finding Mission [British child migration] (1956 - 1956)

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The 'Ross Report' was the result of a 'Fact-Finding Mission' led by the British Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office, Mr J. Ross to inspect Australian institutions where British child migrants were living in 1956 and report to the British government on the systems in place for the care of those migrant children in Australia. The Empire Settlement Acts 1922 (UK) were due to expire in 1957 and the British government was keen to know if it should continue to subsidise child migration to Australia. The Ross Report was 'unenthusiastic' about child migration and critical enough about some institutions (Bindoon, for example) that the Australian government would not publish the report until Australian officials had made their own inspections.

Reports on the institutions covered the following topics:

• Location of the Home and 'nature of the accommodation'
• 'Capacity and provision for migrant children'
• 'Character of Home and care'
• Staff
• Education
• 'Association with Australian children'
• 'Holiday foster placement'
• Pocket money
• 'Attitude toward fostering'
• 'Sexes and contact between brothers and sisters'
• 'Assimilation and Australianisation'
• 'Employment and after-care'