Grants to improve access to records for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants
As part of the National Apology to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants in 2009, the Government announced that $26.5 million over four years would be invested in a range of Find and Connect services and projects for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants.
This month, FaHCSIA has announced the new Find and Connect Records Access Documentation Project, to improve Forgotten Australians’ and Former Child Migrants’ access to records that are important to them.
Grants of up to $15,000 will be made available to eligible not-for-profit organisations to document records relating to children placed in Homes, orphanages and other forms of out-of-home ‘care’ from the 1920s to the 1980s.
This project is designed to help Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants to access more information about their personal histories. Documenting, indexing and releasing these important records is critical to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants in their search for their identity and families and may provide foundations for the counselling, records tracing and family restoration services available through the Government’s Find and Connect service system. Priority will be given to organisations holding records for release which are likely to be of the highest value for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants, with a particular focus on the records of those for whom there is no surviving government information.
For more information and how to apply, please visit the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) website or contact the Find and Connect Records Access Documentation team at FindandConnect@fahcsia.gov.au or by calling the toll-free Hotline on 1800 047 482. Applications close 5pm AEST 18 April 2012.