Charities Department building, 10 January 1938, courtesy of National Library of Australia.
Details
State of Western Australia
The Public Charities and State Children Department was established in 1908, following the passage of the State Children Act of 1907. This Act established the State Children's Department which operated in conjunction with the Public Charities Department and was known as the Public Charities and State Children's Department. Previously, child welfare had been the responsibility of the Superintendent of Poor Relief and Charitable Institutions, part of the Colonial Secretary's Office. In 1917 the title of the Department was changed to the State Children's Department.
The State Records Office website provides an overview of the Public Charities and State Children Department:
Responsibility for, and activities aimed at the protection of children culminated in the passing of the State Children Act of 1907 (proclaimed March 1908). This Act established the State Children's Department which operated in conjunction with the Public Charities Department and was known as the Public Charities and State Children's Department. The Act also established the first Children's Court in January 1908, which was responsible to the State Children's Department.
In 1917 the title of the Department was changed to State Children's Department.
A letter of appreciation for the donation from The Daily News Orphans' Christmas Cheer Fund in 1915 gives an insight into life as a State Child, where donations from the public gave extras to the children that were not part of their normal life:
430 poor children benefitted from your generosity. Each of the children were granted 2s. 6d…I again sincerely thank you on behalf of the large number of children whose Christmas was rendered happier by your liberality than it might have been otherwise.Letter, 3 February 1916 published in The Daily News 2 December 1916
1874 - 1908 Superintendent of Poor Relief and Inspector of Charitable Institutions
1908 - 1917 Public Charities and State Children Department
1917 - 1927 State Children Department
1927 - 1972 Child Welfare Department
1972 - 1985 Department for Community Welfare
1985 - 1992 Department for Community Services
1992 - 1995 Department for Community Development
1995 - 2001 Department for Family and Children's Services
2001 - 2007 Department for Community Development
2007 - 2013 Department for Communities
2007 - 2013 Department for Child Protection
2013 - 2017 Department of Local Government and Communities
2013 - 2017 Department for Child Protection and Family Support
2017 - Department of Communities
2017 - Department of Communities
2017 - Child Protection and Family Support
2017 - Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
Sources used to compile this entry: 'The Daily News [Christmas Cheer Fund]', The Daily News, 2 December 1916, p. 10, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article81358001; 'Public Charities and State Children's Department', in State Records Office of Western Australia - Organisations & People, State Records Office of Western Australia, 2015, https://archive.sro.wa.gov.au/index.php/public-charities-and-state-childrens-department-au-wa-a204.
Prepared by: Leanne Howard and Debra Rosser
Created: 6 June 2011, Last modified: 8 October 2014
Last updated: 17 October 2023
Cite this: https://www.findandconnect.gov.au/ref/wa/biogs/WE00362b.htm
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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