The Child Endowment Act 1941 was Commonwealth legislation which introduced the payment of weekly sums to mothers with more than one child, foster mothers, and the managers of privately run children’s institutions, for children under the age of 16. When child endowment began in 1941, children in State or Commonwealth institutions were excluded. From July 1942, child endowment was extended to children living in government-run institutions, and Aboriginal children living on missions. The act was repealed by the Social Services Consolidation Act 1947. Child endowment payments were replaced by the family allowance in 1976.
