Quote this number to access your records: Public Record Office of Victoria Series Number, VPRS 10092
The Child Migration Files document the assessment of applications to nominate British and other minors, and subsequent administration, including forms used for processing and reports from various sources. These files were created by the Victorian Children’s Welfare Department and subsequently by the Social Welfare Branch.
Restricted Access – Records containing personal or private information about children are closed to public access for a period of 99 years. Former Child Migrants (and their families) can apply for access to records via the Care Leaver Records Service.
Child migration to Australia in the post World War Two period was governed by the Commonwealth Immigration (Guardianship of Children) Act 1946-1973. The Commonwealth Minister for Immigration was the legal guardian of child migrants until they turned 21 – these powers were delegated to the Secretary of the Children’s Welfare Department of Victoria. The organisations that ran institutions that received child migrants were the custodians of these children and young people.
These records document nominations on behalf of British minors (and some other nationals), made by individuals and welfare and religious organisations, sent to the Children’s Welfare Department for approval. The nominator assumed responsibility for the welfare and care of the minor including custody, control, maintenance, education, training and employment.
Many of the files comprise standard forms used for processing applications to nominate a minor. Information gathered during the process includes: the nature of the relationship between the nominator and minor and whether the minor had relatives in Australia; the proposed arrangements for accommodation, employment, teaching of English and continuation of religious tradition, health of the minor, citizenship status of the nominator and whether the nominator understood the provisions of the Act. In some cases the assessment was not made until further information about the behaviour, character and living conditions of the nominator had been obtained from a Departmental inspection or police report.
Files documenting the administration of legal guardianship include considerable personal data about child migrants and their custodians. Documentation on the files includes reports of social workers, parents, custodians, employers, vocational guidance officers, teachers and doctors which include detail about the character, behaviour and medical condition of minors as well as the character, behaviour, financial status and living conditions of custodians.