The State Records Office of Western Australia was established in 2001, following the passing of the State Records Act 2000. It is the key repository for government documents in Western Australia. The state archives collection includes records that might be of interest to people who were in out of home care as children. These records can be found throughout the collection, as many government agencies were involved in child welfare activities.
The State Records Office of Western Australia holds records created by the Colonial and State Governments, as well as Local Government authorities in Western Australia, which it retains permanently. State archives include files, maps, architectural drawings, documents, microforms, sound recordings and electronic records. The holdings of SROWA can be accessed in the reading room via appointment, with exception of those records with restricted access. Permission from the creating government agency, or its successor, must be granted before restricted records can be accessed.
The collection of SROWA includes records created by government departments responsible for child welfare and the welfare of Aboriginal people. Many of these records relate to children who were placed in all types of out of home ‘care’ in Western Australia. These records can include admission & discharge books/registers, individual ‘client’ files, records relating to adoption and foster placements, Children’s Court registers, correspondence between the departments and children’s homes, missions, and other institutions, and general administrative records.
From
24 July 2001
To
Current
Alternative Names
JS Battye Library of West Australian History
State Archives of Western Australia
Public Records Office of Western Australia
Archives Branch
URL