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Victoria - Legislation

Social Welfare Act 1960 (1960 - 1971)

  • The Social Welfare Act 1960

    The Social Welfare Act 1960
    Details

From
1960
To
1971
Categories
Principal Act
Website
http://corrigan.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/vic/hist_act/swa1960137/

The Social Welfare Act 1960 (No.6651) was proclaimed in stages from 1960. The sections concerned with family and child welfare did not become operative until June 1961. The Act established the Social Welfare Branch within the Chief Secretary's Department. The Social Welfare Branch assumed responsibility for all functions previously administered by the Children's Welfare Department and the Penal and Gaols Branch. This Social Welfare Branch included youth and adult corrections as well as family welfare. Adult corrections were not separated until 1984, with the creation of the Office of Corrections.

Details

The full title is 'An Act to establish a Social Welfare Branch of the Chief Secretary's Department and to make provision with respect to the Functions of that branch and for other purposes.'

The Social Welfare Act 1960 reflects the development of Government policy in Victoria which began to emphasize an integrated approach to social welfare issues and the need for staff training and social research.

Consistent with the growing knowledge about child development and the benefits of children retaining contact with their families, the Social Welfare Department began to employ social workers to work with the families of children in care, something which had previously been done by unqualified administrative officers. The introduction of professional social workers also had a positive impact on planning, policy and program development within the Department.

The Social Welfare Act 1960 also recognised the importance of training for residential care and other staff and the Social Welfare Department established a Training Division which introduced training courses for staff from government and non-government institutions.

The Social Welfare Act 1970 (No.8089) repealed and re-enacted the Social Welfare Act 1960, on 5 January 1971.

Publications

Reports

  • Children's Welfare Department and Reformatory Schools. Report of the Secretary and Inspector., Government Printer, Melbourne, 1924 - 1954. 1959. Details

Online Resources

Photos

The Social Welfare Act 1960
Title
The Social Welfare Act 1960
Type
Document

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Children's Welfare Department and Reformatory Schools. Report of the Secretary and Inspector., Government Printer, Melbourne, 1924 - 1954. 1959.; 'Victoria: Legislation', in To remove and protect: laws that changed Aboriginal lives, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 2008, https://aiatsis.gov.au/collection/featured-collections/remove-and-protect; Victorian Government, 'Victorian Government Submission to the Senate Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care (Submission 173)', in Inquiry into Institutional Care: Submissions received as at 17/03/05, July 2003, http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Completed_inquiries/2004-07/inst_care/submissions/sublist; Law Research Service, Melbourne Law School, Law Library, The University of Melbourne. 'Find and Connect Project - Victoria Legislation', 13 December 2013, held in the project files at the University of Melbourne eScholarship Research Centre.

Prepared by: Cate O'Neill