In the context of children in care in WA, the term orphan does not necessarily mean a child whose parents have died. It was most often used to describe a child whose parent/s were (or were judged to be) unable, for many different reasons, to care for them. The term was often used to describe child migrants, many of whom subsequently found that they were not orphans.
Sources used to compile this entry: Information Services, Department for Community Development, Signposts: A Guide for Children and Young People in Care in WA from 1920, Government of Western Australia, 2004, https://signposts.communities.wa.gov.au//pdf/pdf.aspx.
Prepared by: Debra Rosser
Created: 25 October 2011, Last modified: 27 February 2015