The Record Cards of 'Non-Citizen' Children Including Children Arriving Under the Child Migration Scheme contain personal details of children who were not Australian citizens and whose guardian was the Director of the Social Services Department and its successors between 1950 and 1989. The cards also provide some brief information about the welfare of the children.
Closed D75 years
D75 means these records are closed to the general public for 75 years from the date of the last entry in them. People wishing to access these records should contact Children and Youth Services, which is run by the Department of Health and Human Services. How access is provided once permission is granted will depend on the file. Usually Children and Youth Services request it back and then provide access or copies. Staff at the Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office may be able to assist you in finding other relevant records.
The cards include the name and address of the person with whom the child lived.
The Commonwealth Minister of Immigration was the guardian of these children but, according to the Commonwealth Immigration Act, he could delegate the responsibility to the Director of the Social Services Department and its successors. That is why employees of those Departments created the record cards.
Sources used to compile this entry: Coldrey, Barry, Good British stock: child and youth migration to Australia, National Archives of Australia, 1999, https://www.naa.gov.au/help-your-research/research-guides/good-british-stock-child-and-youth-migration-australia.
Prepared by: Caroline Evans
Created: 5 December 2013, Last modified: 10 December 2014