Havilah Group Home

Havilah Group Home, in Marrickville, was run by Church of England Children’s Homes from 1979 until the mid 1980s as a family group home for Aboriginal children. It was staffed by Aboriginal people and was one of the first homes of its kind. It was linked to Marella Aboriginal Program but closed in the mid-1980s due to low numbers.

In 1984, in its newsletter Care, Church of England Homes described the purpose of its group homes:

Cornwall [Cornwell], Buckland, Havilah and Marella are our Group Homes which provide longer term care. Perhaps the children aren’t getting normal care at home. Maybe they have missed out on it for a long time. These homes provide a kind of holding situation. But one which avoids damaging them still further by providing them with a good model of a positive family-type experience. Meanwhile, everything possible is being done through the counselling service to restore family relationships. Hopefully, after six months, usually sooner, the family can get back together or foster placement can be arranged. Two of our homes are for Aboriginal children. They are managed and staffed by Aborigines and are the first of their kind.

At the time, Church of England Homes employed a team of social workers to work with the family and help communications between parents and children, as well as provide counselling and short-term financial support, if needed.

After Havilah Group Home closed, Anglicare converted the property to other uses relating to out-of-home care for children.