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Western Australia - Organisation

Public Charities and State Children Department (1908 - 1917)

  • Charities Department building

    Charities Department building, 10 January 1938, courtesy of National Library of Australia.
    Details

State of Western Australia

From
1 January 1908
To
1 January 1917
Categories
Adoption Agency, Care Provider and Government Department
Alternative Names
  • Charities Department (also known as)
  • State Children's Department (also known as)

The Public Charities and State Children Department was established in 1908, following the passage of the State Children Act of 1907. This Act established the State Children's Department which operated in conjunction with the Public Charities Department and was known as the Public Charities and State Children's Department. Previously, child welfare had been the responsibility of the Superintendent of Poor Relief and Charitable Institutions, part of the Colonial Secretary's Office. In 1917 the title of the Department was changed to the State Children's Department.

Details

The State Records Office website provides an overview of the Public Charities and State Children Department:

Responsibility for, and activities aimed at the protection of children culminated in the passing of the State Children Act of 1907 (proclaimed March 1908). This Act established the State Children's Department which operated in conjunction with the Public Charities Department and was known as the Public Charities and State Children's Department. The Act also established the first Children's Court in January 1908, which was responsible to the State Children's Department.

In 1917 the title of the Department was changed to State Children's Department.

A letter of appreciation for the donation from The Daily News Orphans' Christmas Cheer Fund in 1915 gives an insight into life as a State Child, where donations from the public gave extras to the children that were not part of their normal life:

430 poor children benefitted from your generosity. Each of the children were granted 2s. 6d…I again sincerely thank you on behalf of the large number of children whose Christmas was rendered happier by your liberality than it might have been otherwise.Letter, 3 February 1916 published in The Daily News 2 December 1916

Timeline

 1874 - 1908 Superintendent of Poor Relief and Inspector of Charitable Institutions
       1908 - 1917 Public Charities and State Children Department
             1917 - 1927 State Children Department
                   1927 - 1972 Child Welfare Department
                         1972 - 1985 Department for Community Welfare
                               1985 - 1992 Department for Community Services
                                     1992 - 1995 Department for Community Development
                                           1995 - 2001 Department for Family and Children's Services
                                                 2001 - 2007 Department for Community Development
                                                       2007 - 2013 Department for Communities
                                                       2007 - 2013 Department for Child Protection
                                                             2013 - 2017 Department of Local Government and Communities
                                                             2013 - 2017 Department for Child Protection and Family Support
                                                                   2017 - Department of Communities
                                                                   2017 - Department of Communities
                                                                   2017 - Child Protection and Family Support
                                                                   2017 - Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries

Provided 'Care' At

Related Archival Series

Related Events

Related Organisations

Publications

Reports

  • Annual report of the State Children Department, State Children's Department, [Perth, W.A.], 1908-1927. Details

Online Resources

Photos

Report by the Superintendent of Public Charities, 1910
Title
Report by the Superintendent of Public Charities, 1910
Type
Document
Date
1910
Source
Department for Child Protection and Family Support

Details

Charities Department building
Title
Charities Department building
Type
Image
Date
10 January 1938
Source
National Library of Australia

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: 'The Daily News [Christmas Cheer Fund]', The Daily News, 2 December 1916, p. 10, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81358001; 'Public Charities and State Children's Department', in State Records Office of Western Australia - Organisations & People, State Records Office of Western Australia, 2015, https://archive.sro.wa.gov.au/index.php/public-charities-and-state-childrens-department-au-wa-a204.

Prepared by: Leanne Howard and Debra Rosser