Some people may find content on this website distressing. Read more
Victoria - Organisation

Canterbury Family Centre (1977 - 2000)

From
1977
To
2000
Categories
Care Provider, Home and Uniting Church

The Canterbury Family Centre came into being in 1977. In May 2000, the new organisation Connections UnitingCare was created with the amalgamation of the Canterbury Family Centre, Copelen and the Wheelers Hill Family Centre.

Details

[Taken from the ReConnections and Re-collections document http://www.connections.org.au/pdfs/ReConnections-and-ReCollections.pdf]

The Family Centre stood on the old site of the Presbyterian Babies' Home, Linda, 19 Canterbury Road.

A major change was implemented under Director Carol Richards, following a successful pilot program in 1974 to care for children in a small group of five with three live-in staff, acting as surrogate parents, on a 24-hour roster. Despite funding difficulties, building work was undertaken to create four units in the grounds of the centre, where children and staff would have immediate access to a psychologist and social workers. Senior Social Worker, then Assistant Director, at this time, Sherrie Coote, recalled the closure of institutionalised residential care for children from birth to 8 years of age and the subsequent opening of a Residential Assessment Unit, operated by a specialised multi-disciplinary team of professionals. Rather than separating at-risk children from their parents, the whole family was admitted into the therapeutic unit for three months.

Location

1977 - 2000
Location - The Canterbury Family Centre was located in Canterbury Road, Camberwell. Location: Camberwell

Timeline

 1928 - 1977 Presbyterian Babies' Home
       1977 - 2000 Canterbury Family Centre
             2000 - 2017 Connections UnitingCare
                   2017 - 2020 Uniting - Connections
                         2017 - Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited

Publications

Reports

  • 'Historical Details', Kildonan Uniting Care, 7 September 2007. Details

Online Resources

Sources used to compile this entry: 'Historical Details', Kildonan Uniting Care, 7 September 2007.

Prepared by: Cate O'Neill