The Sydney Rescue Work Society was formed in 1890 to ‘take over, continue and strengthen the Rescue Work for seven years usefully and beneficially carried on by Mr G.E. Ardill and his philanthropic co-workers’. It ran numerous refuges and homes for women and children in Sydney and surrounding suburbs. From 1911 until at least the…
On Track began operating in 1994 under the auspice of Stretch-A-Family Inc, working with young people aged fifteen to eighteen to provide residential care and preparation for independent living. On Track ceased operating in 2020 when Stretch-A-Family stopped providing out-of-home care.
The Sydney City Mission was a Christian city mission that was founded in 1862. Between 1916 and 1976, the Sydney City Mission operated a number of children’s homes: Cowley House at Cronulla (1916-76); Lawson Cottage at Lawson (1927-30), Stonehaven at Springwood (1929-49); Haddon Hall at Hazelbrook (1950-67); and Mt Gibraltar at Bowral (1930-74). In the…
The Young People’s Refuge opened as a crisis centre in Chippendale in 1975. It was linked with Stretch-A-Family. In 1991 it was based in Marrickville and offered 24-hour crisis accommodation to girls aged 13-17. In 2013 it has two refuges in inner-western Sydney and is linked to Detour House, a supported accommodation service that includes…
Stretch-A-Family Inc. was an adolescent fostering and residential care provider for children aged seven to 18. It was founded in 1976, as part of the Young People’s Refuge. In 1984 the two programs split and Stretch-A-Family set up its own supported accommodation program, On Track, in 1994. In 2020, Stretch-A-Family stopped providing residential care, and…
The Society for Providing Homes for Neglected Children was established in October 1887. The Society was founded by George Edward Ardill who was later to found the Sydney Rescue Work Society. It ran babies and children’s homes. In the 1970s the Society for Providing Homes for Neglected Children converted its children’s homes to child care…
Kemblawarra Child and Family Centre Inc. was opened in 1980 at Port Kembla as a 24-hour emergency care service for children aged from birth to 12 years of age. The emergency care function ceased to exist in 1991 but in 1998 the service provided day care and counselling. Kemblawarra Child and Family Centre Inc was…
Lutanda Children’s Home was established in Wentworth Falls in 1930 by Miss Florence Dalwood. After Dalwood’s death in 1949, Lutanda moved into a large purpose-built orphanage on Boundary Road in Pennant Hills which later housed around 50 to 60 children in separate buildings for boys and girls. Lutanda closed in 1984. The Lutanda Children’s Home…
The Sydney Foundling Hospital was the new name given to the Sydney Foundling Institution in October 1874. In 1875, the Hospital moved from Darlinghurst into new premises at Port View House, Stewart Street, Paddington. In 1876, with philanthropic help, the committee purchased “Gorton”, a large house on five acres on Henry St, Ashfield. In 1877,…
The Infants’ Home, Ashfield was established in Henry Street, Ashfield in 1877. Previously, it had been located in Stewart Street, Paddington, and known as the Sydney Foundling Hospital. The Infants’ Home, Ashfield was a lying-in hospital and pioneered the practice of keeping mothers and babies together after the birth, and helping mothers find work. It…