The Quamby Youth Detention Centre in Symonston opened in 1962. It was a government-run facility, housing youth on short term remand, and (in the absence of any other facility) some children unable to live at home. Most ACT children who were sent to institutions in New South Wales initially spent some time in Quamby. In…
The Child Welfare Agreement Ordinance 1941 (Act no. 12/1941) was Commonwealth legislation that approved an agreement made between the Commonwealth and the state of New South Wales for the reception, detention and maintenance in institutions in NSW of children committed to those institutions by courts of the ACT. When an ACT court committed a child…
Marymead Child and Family Centre was established in 1967 in Narrabundah. It was run by the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, until the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn took over responsibility in 1986. In 2018, Marymead continues to provide residential care for girls and boys aged 5 to 17, as well as foster care and…
The Catholic Diocese of Goulburn was established in 1862, later including the city of Canberra and surrounding areas. It became the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn in 1948.
Barnardos Children’s Family Centre in Downer came into being in 1983 and replaced Barnardos House and Berwick House in Curtin. By the early 1990s Barnardos had shifted away from residential care to foster care and family support. From 1993 Barnardos Children’s Family Centre has run Find-a-Family ACT, a program organising permanent foster placements. Barnardos Children’s…
Please contact General Enquiries, National Archives of Australia: Postal Address: PO Box 4924, Kingston, ACT 2604 Phone: (02) 6212 3600 Email: archives@naa.gov.au Website: https://www.naa.gov.au/help-your-research/ask-us-about-collection
The Prince’s Trust was established in 1976 to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people in the United Kingdom. In 2011 the Trust merged with another charity, Fairbridge, making The Prince’s Trust the contact to access Fairbridge Society’s records. In 2024, The Prince’s Trust was renamed to The King’s Trust.
The Supporting Mother’s Benefit was a Commonwealth allowance introduced in 1973 by the Whitlam government. It extended equal access to income support to all single mothers. In November 1977, it was replaced by the Supporting Parent’s Benefit, with sole fathers becoming eligible for payments. This payment made it possible for many single mothers to keep…
The Widows’ Pension was a Commonwealth allowance introduced to enable widows with dependent children to stay at home and look after them, rather than having to go out to work to keep the family from destitution. From October 1942 until 1976, the Widows’ Pension was exempt from income tax. Single mothers, de facto wives and…
Broken Rites is an organisation formed in 1992 by victims of church-related sexual abuse. About 90 per cent of the men and women who have contacted Broken Rites Australia have been from a Catholic background. The organisation also supports victims from other denominations including the Anglican Church and the Uniting Church. Broken Rites does not…