The collection Records created by the State Children’s Department comprises a number of archival series which were created by this department. The reference numbers for the series included in this collection all begin with the State Children’s Department’s Agency number, GRG 27. For example GRG27/1 is the Correspondence files of the State Children’s Department.
Access Conditions
A Research Centre Members card, obtainable at the Archives, is required to research records held at State Records.
Although some very early records relating to children in care in South Australia are open for access, most records relating to children are subject to a 100 year restriction, particularly those which contain personal information about individuals. Written permission must be obtained from the government agency which created the record in order to access restricted material. To obtain permission a Freedom of Information (FOI) request form must be submitted to the relevant government department. State Records staff will be able to assist you with this.
Records
The collection Records created by the State Children’s Department comprises a group of archival series created by this department. These include correspondence files, reports, registers and other administrative records.
Some series in this collection are documented in the Find & Connect web resource, but not all. This is the Inventory of Series for GRG27 according to the catalogue of State Records of South Australia:
- GRG27/31 Annual Reports – State Children’s Council (1887 – 1926)
- GRG27/12 Register of admissions – Roman Catholic Boys’ Reformatory, Brooklyn Park (1895 – 1908)
- GRG27/21 Deed of gift (James Emmott to Jane Emmott) in compliance with a maintenance order (1896 – 1896)
- GRG27/22 Two letters to the Chief Secretary’s Office requesting the instigation of maintenance proceedings (1897 – 1901)
- GRG27/23 Indenture for adoption for A.E.H. (1 item only) (1898 – 1898)
- GRG27/16 Register of applications for foster mothers’ licences considered by the State Children’s Council (1899 – 1910)
- GRG27/13 Register of admissions – Salvation Army Probationary School for Boys, Mount Barker (1900 – 1928)
- GRG27/14 Register of applications and licences issued to keep lying-in homes (1900 – 1910)
- GRG27/15 Reports by inspectress of lying-in homes (1900 – 1910)
- GRG27/18 Register of children placed with licensed foster mothers (1902 – 1910)
- GRG27/11 Register of admissions – Industrial School, Edwardstown (1903 – 1908)
- GRG27/24 Indenture between John Albert Williams, John Williams and May Forster for the maintenance of illegitimate child (1904 – 1904)
- GRG27/29 Draft annual report – State Children’s Council (1904 – 1904)
- GRG27/2 Letters sent – State Children’s Department (1906 – 1906)
- GRG27/27 Printed booklet entitled ‘State Children’s Convention held at Adelaide’ (1907 – 1907)
- GRG27/36 State Children’s Convention booklet (1908 – 1908)
- GRG27/28 Printed booklet entitled ‘Dependent Children: Interstate Congress of Workers, Adelaide’ (1909 – 1909)
- GRG27/20 Record of doctors appointed to attend to State Children, and children allocated (1909 – 1927)
- GRG27/25 Agreement signed by Rose Dudley, a ward of the State, making her a probationer nurse at the Adelaide Hospital (1910 – 1910)
- GRG27/26 Printed specimen of form of licence to keep a lying-in home (1910 – 1910)
- GRG27/37 James Gray, ‘State Children’s Council Administration also Description of Institutions Controlled by the Council’ (1911 – 1911)
- GRG27/7 Applications for a child to be boarded-out or for service, with accompanying correspondence, memorandum and reports (1918 – 1918)
- GRG27/4 Applications for the release of children from the State Children’s Council’s control (1919 – 1921)
- GRG27/8 Rough register of children in the care of the Department (1920 – 1921)
- GRG27/35 Newspaper cuttings relating to the Redruth Girls Reformatory riot (1921 – 1921)
- GRG27/32 Copy of block plan of Destitute Asylum with historical notes (1925 – 1964)
- GRS/6648 Ledger cards – Family Maintenance Branch (c1928 – 1980)
- GRS/8601 Trust maintenance ledgers and related accounting records (1974 – ct)
