Archives



Catholic Social Service Bureau – Archdiocese of Melbourne

The Catholic Social Service Bureau was established in 1935 by Archbishop of Melbourne Daniel Mannix. One of the Bureau’s functions was to administer applications for children to be admitted to the many Catholic children’s homes in Victoria. It also counselled unmarried mothers and arranged foster care placements and adoptions. In 1956, it changed its name…

Adoption Information Service, Uniting – Connections

The Adoption Information Service, Uniting – Connections began in 1984 with the introduction of the Victorian Adoption Act, which provided for the first time rights to the parties to adoption to access to information. Adopted persons, adoptive parents, parents who have relinquished their child and other family members can obtain information about an adoption organised…

Woodbine

Woodbine came into being in 1954 with the establishment of a hostel of the same name in Warracknabeal. As well as the hostel on Craig street, Woodbine also ran a number of family group homes in Warracknabeal. In 2018, Woodbine provides accommodation, day and employment programs and training to people with intellectual disabilities in regional…

Wesleyan Church Neglected Children’s Aid Society

The Wesleyan Church Neglected Children’s Aid Society came into being in 1891. Previously it was known as the Central Dorcas Association Help and Rescue Society. The Society ran the Methodist Children’s Homes in Cheltenham. Responsibility for the day-to-day running of the Homes however lay with the ‘ladies’ of the Executive Committee.

Connecting Home

Connecting Home was established in April 2010 to replace Stolen Generations Victoria Ltd, and to continue to provide support and advocacy for members for the Stolen Generations and their families.

Presbyterian Sisterhood

The Presbyterian Sisterhood began in Warrnambool in western Victoria. It was established by the Rev. Donald A. Cameron, who was Director of Home Missions within the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. The aim of the Presbyterian Sisterhood was ‘to rescue and help women in distress’ (Argus, 1908). From around 1901, the Sisterhood ran a refuge in…

Young Christian Workers Movement

The Young Christian Workers’ Movement (YCW) was established in 1941 in Melbourne, by Catholic priest Father Francis William Lombard in 1941. The YCW was briefly involved with child migration to Victoria, conducting a a program to nominate immigrants. It also ran hostels: one for young migrant workers in Hawthorn in the late 1940s and early…

Wesley Mission Victoria

On 1 February 2010, Wesley Mission Victoria came into being. It was previously known as Wesley Mission Melbourne. The name change reflected an expansion of Wesley’s services into regional areas of Victoria. In July 2017, Wesley Mission Victoria merged with 21 UnitingCare agencies to form a new organisation: Uniting (Victoria and Tasmania) Limited.

Mental Hygiene Branch

The Mental Hygiene Branch was established in 1944. It assumed responsibility for those functions previously administered by the Department of Mental Hygiene, namely the development and direction of policy governing the treatment of the mentally ill, the care of the intellectually disabled, the care and treatment of alcohol and drug dependent persons, and for the…

Inspector of Public Charities

An Inspector of Public Charities appears to have been first appointed in late 1880 within the Department of the Treasurer. The position of Inspector had been recommended by the Royal Commission into Charitable Institutions of 1870 . The Inspector undertook the investigation of the management, and audit of the accounts, of institutions receiving assistance from…