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Foster Care

Foster care is a home-based service provided to children and young people up to 18 years of age who are temporarily or permanently unable to live with their families of origin. Foster parents are paid an allowance to help cover the cost of maintaining the foster child. The foster care system was historically managed by…

State Ward

The terms state ward or ward of the state were legal terms used to describe a child under the guardianship of a state (or territory) child welfare authority. The State, as the ward’s guardian, assumed responsibility for the care, custody and control of the child to the exclusion of parental rights. The various laws passed…

Boarding Out

Boarding out was the term used to describe the placement of children and young people in foster care in private homes. Nineteenth century reformers advocated boarding out because it provided more of a family life than the big institutions. Under the boarding out system, government agencies paid foster parents a weekly fee – the boarding…

Glendonald School for Deaf Children

Glendonald School for Deaf Children in Kew was run by the Victorian Department of Education. It provided education and some residential services for deaf children. The school was located in Marshall Avenue and the hostel was nearby in Belmont Avenue, Kew. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, ‘Deaf children whose families lived…

Child Rescue

The child rescue movement was an outgrowth of the evangelical revival in England, it captured the imagination of many Australian philanthropists during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, leaving a particular mark on colonial and state child welfare services. Child rescuers argued that the existing orphanages and statutory organisations were too passive in their…

Family Group Homes and Residential Units run by the Sisters of St Joseph and the Christian Brothers, Victoria

From the 1960s the Sisters of St Joseph ran a number of Family Group Homes and Residential Units across Melbourne. Some of these homes were initially run in conjunction with St Joseph’s Home for Children in Surrey Hills. In 1991 these homes came under the management of the Christian Brothers, and in 1997 management again…

Family Group Homes and Residential care run by St Luke’s, Victoria

From 1977 St Luke’s ran a number of family group home and residential care units in Bendigo. Several of these home had previously been run by The Mission of St James and St John, and were transferred to St Luke’s in 1977 when it became an independent agency. Other homes were transferred to the control…

Family Group Homes and Residential Units run by Tally Ho and Wesley Mission

From the 1970’s Tally Ho and Wesley Central Parish Mission ran a number of Family Group Homes and Residential Units in Melbourne’s eastern and southern suburbs. The exact opening and closing dates for many of these homes are not yet known.

Family Group Homes run by Melbourne City Mission

From the 1980s Melbourne City Mission, and its subsidiary Southport Youth Support Services, ran a number of family group homes across suburban Melbourne. The exact opening and closing dates for many of these homes are not yet known.

Family Group Homes run by Harrison Youth and Community

From the 1980s Harrison Youth and Community Services ran several Family Group Homes across Melbourne. The exact opening and closing dates for many of these homes are not yet known.