The Toowoomba Salvation Army Girls' Home, c. 1945, courtesy of lewisblayse.net.
Details
Horton Village, in Toowoomba, operated as a children's home from 1976 to 1985. It was run by the Salvation Army. Previously, it was known as Horton House. From 1985 onwards Horton Village operated as a disability institution. In 2014 Horton Village functioned as the Salvation Army's disability support service in Toowoomba.
The Horton Village complex consisted of Horton House, Alford House, Hocking House and Ray Powell Cottage. Despite the reorganisation of the institution into cottage homes, concerns were expressed in the late 1970s that it was still operating as an 'old-style institution', and the cottages were not functioning independently.
According to the 1999 report of the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions, departmental officials criticised the 'isolated regime' at Horton Village in 1978 and its negative effects of children who lived there.
Due to the emerging trend towards allowing children to stay with their families where possible, to foster or house children in smaller units, the number of children requiring care at Horton Village had dropped by the 1980s.
By 1983 only eight children, funded by the Department of Children's Services, were accommodated in one cottage at Horton Village.
In the mid-1980s, the complex was re-organised to accommodate intellectually disabled adults. By 1985 children were no longer cared for at Horton Village.
1942 - 1947 James Horton Memorial Home
1947 - 1953 James Horton Industrial School for Girls
1953 - 1954 James Horton Memorial Home for Girls
1954 - 1963 James Horton School for Girls
1963 - 1976 Horton House
1976 - 1985 Horton Village
Sources used to compile this entry: Burley, Lacey, 'Horton Village helps the disabled', Chronicle, 31 March 2009, http://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/horton-village-helps-disabled-build-skills/199129/; Department of Families, Missing pieces: information to assist former residents of children's institutions to access records, State of Queensland, 2001. pp.52-53.; Horton Village History sheet, copied from the Horton Village Policy and Procedure Manual and given to Lee Butterworth on 23 October 2012. Memorandum from senior child care officer, 24 May 1978, DFYCC 90I/6/0 (cited in Forde Inquiry report, p.97).
Prepared by: Lee Butterworth
Created: 4 April 2014, Last modified: 17 March 2015