This oral history recording is an account from a worker in the New South Wales Child Welfare Department, Marie Wood.
Ms Wood recalls her time working at Bidura, Bidura Court, Parramatta Girls Home and Ormond Training School, and the policies and practices of the Child Welfare Department. She also speaks about her response to the various government inquiries and apologies.
Marie Wood talks about her early life and schooling; her tertiary studies in teaching and nursing; teaching at Bidura Children's Home, Glebe; the institutional culture at Bidura, play equipment and the building; Bidura Children's Court; teaching at Ormond Training School for Girls, Thornleigh; the girls, classrooms, class size, letters home, censorship and activities; Parramatta Girls Home; Elizabeth Bay Gaol; the Privilege Cottage; health care; remedial teaching; curriculum; teaching materials and library; bullying; school holidays; returnees; length of stay; leaving Ormond, and her subsequent teaching career; her reflections on Ormond; Bringing Them Home Inquiry; Forgotten Australians Inquiry; Kevin Rudd's apologies; Aboriginal Embassy; Old Parliament House; the families of Forgotten Australians; the legacy of institutionalisation.
Prepared by: Naomi Parry
Created: 15 August 2012, Last modified: 5 December 2014
Last updated: 4 August 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/nsw/biogs/NE01183b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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