Please contact the State Records Research Centre:
Postal Address: GPO Box 464, Adelaide SA 5001
Phone: 08 7322 7077
Quote this number to access your records: State Records of South Australia Series ID, GRG27/1
These records are part of Records created by the State Children's Department (1886 - 1927).
These correspondence files cover all aspects of the State Children’s Department’s business and include information on the maintenance of state wards, the placement of children, the suitability of foster homes, absconded state wards, applications by parents for the return of children, applications by state wards for their wages, and more. They also contain some correspondence relating to Homes run by the Salvation Army under the control of the Department. For the period before 1891 many files are missing.
A Research Centre Members card, obtainable at the Archives, is required to research records held at State Records.
Although some very early records relating to children in care in South Australia are open for access, most records relating to children are subject to a 100 year restriction, particularly those which contain personal information about individuals. Written permission must be obtained from the government agency which created the record in order to access restricted material. To obtain permission a Freedom of Information (FOI) request form must be submitted to the relevant government department. State Records staff will be able to assist you with this.