Child Endowment (1941 - 1976)

From

July 1941

To

June 1976

A child endowment was a non means tested flat payment made by the Commonwealth Government directly to mothers for each child under 16 after the first child. It was first introduced in July 1941 with the passing of the Child Endowment Act of that year. The initial rate of payment was 5 shillings per week per child. When the legislation was passed, children in State and Commonwealth institutions were excluded from this payment. (Charitable and religious institutions could receive child endowment payments.) In July 1942 the act was amended to allow payment to be extended to include children cared for in government-run institutions and Aboriginal children living for at least 6 months of the year on a mission station. In June 1976 the child endowment payment was replaced by the Family Allowance.