The State Children Relief Act of 1881 [24/1881 (44 Vic. No.24)] created the State Children’s Relief Board [SCRB], a body of nine members that reported to the Colonial Secretary. Its task was to remove children from state-funded institutions and board them out, or foster them, with working class families. This Act enabled the SCRB to pay fees to foster families, and to supervise foster children, and place them in apprenticeship as it saw fit. Within five years, almost all children who had been in the care of the Benevolent Society and the Roman Catholic and Protestant Orphanages were in the boarding out system. This Act was amended by the State Children Relief (Amendment) Act 1896. It was repealed by the State Children Relief Act 1901.
At first, only children who had already been placed in institutions could be boarded out, but the Act was amended in 1901 to enable the SCRB to commit children directly to its care. An earlier amendment in 1896 had enabled the SCRB to pay a half-rate of the boarding out allowance to widows and deserted wives who were considered respectable enough to keep their children.
From
1881
To
1901
Alternative Names
An Act to establish a System of boarding-out Children
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