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Victoria - Organisation

St John of God Training Centre (1953 - 1967)

  • St John of God Home for Boys

    St John of God Home for Boys, c. 1960, courtesy of Kingston Historical Website.
    Details

From
1953
To
1967
Categories
Catholic, Disability Institution and Home
Alternative Names
  • St John of God Training Home for Intellectually Disabled Boys

The St John of God Training Centre was established by the St John of God Brothers in 1953. It housed around 100 Catholic boys aged 7 to 16 with mild intellectual disabilities, including State wards unable to live with their parents.

Details

The St John of God Training Centre occupied the former site of the Methodist Homes for Children in Cheltenham and was approximately 20 acres. Subsidised by the Mental Hygiene Authority, the Brother's aimed to establish a home, special school and training centre.

An article published by the support group Broken Rites makes the point that

Many SJOG inmates, especially wards of state, had behavioural or learning difficulties and were not necessarily born with an intellectual disability, although they certainly became educationally disadvantaged through their incarceration at St John of God.

A commemorative plaque on the site in Cheltenham reads:

Southland commemorates the service to children given on this site by Methodist Homes for Children 1892-1953 and the St. John of God Training Centre 1953-1967.

Location

1953 - 1967
Location - The St John of God Training Centre was located in Nepean Highway, Cheltenham. Location: Cheltenham

Run By

Related Glossary Terms

Related Organisations

Publications

Resource Sections

  • Catholic religious Brothers abused the disabled, Broken Rites. Details

Online Resources

Photos

St John of God Home for Boys
Title
St John of God Home for Boys
Type
Image
Date
c. 1960
Source
Kingston Historical Website

Details

Sources used to compile this entry: Catholic religious Brothers abused the disabled, Broken Rites; James Jenkinson Consulting, Guide to out-of-home care services 1940-2000 - Volume One: Agency Descriptions, Department of Human Services, Unpublished, November 2001, https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/sites/default/files/DHS.3004.011.0367.pdf; Marshall, Rev. Norman, 'Methodist Children’s Homes at Cheltenham: A Time for Change', in Kingston Historical Website, City of Kingston, 1998-2006, http://localhistory.kingston.vic.gov.au/htm/article/280.htm.

Prepared by: Cate O'Neill