Have you been in care with the following organisation:

• Melbourne Orphanage
• Melbourne Family Care Organisation
• Victorian Children's Aid Society
• Family Action
• Family Focus

If so, you may be interested in one or more of the areas below:

Apology

OzChild acknowledges the failures associated with a number of children in its care which have had unfavourable life long impacts on those individuals.

OzChild sincerely and unreservedly apologises to all those who suffered abuse or had other distressing experiences while resident in our facilities, and expresses deep regret at any ongoing pain suffered by these individuals.

The actions of individual staff members who perpetrated any abuse is not condoned in any way.  This reflects badly on the work of the majority of our staff who undertook their work with integrity and deep regard for the children entrusted to their care.  OzChild is committed to working at identifying ways to prevent abuse of any kind to children supported by OzChild.

OzChild encourages former residents who wish to discuss their experience in our facilities to make contact with us. OzChild will assist those under its care as children to locate any personal records that may be available.  We will also discuss with individuals any further practical assistance that those individuals may seek and, if desired, can put them in contact with organisations funded to support care leavers.

Victorians in care remembered and honoured

Former care leavers were invited by the State Government of Victoria to the unveiling of a permanent memorial on 25 October, 2010 by the Minister for Community Services the Hon Lisa Neville MP. It recognises all Victorian Australians who, as children, spent time in Victorian orphanages, children's homes or foster care during the last centuries.

The memorial, created by artist Helen Bodycomb, is by the Yarra River in Southbank Promenade in Melbourne (between the Southbank Pedestrian Bridge and the Sandridge Bridge). It is a lasting recognition of the experience of care leavers and provides an opportunity for the wider community to reflect on the experiences of Victorians who grew up or spent time in institutional and other out-of-home care.

Helen Bodycomb explained at the ceremony that her work, entitled, 'World Within, World Without' depicts the stars and planets as they were in November 2009, on the day of the National Apology and is a gesture of recognition, renewal and hope.  Balloons were also launched.

Staff from OzChild attended, and met up with some careleavers who had lived in Melbourne Orphanage.  Melbourne Orphanage's origins date back to 1851, a period when conditions were very different to those today.  The alternative to family care was created to look after children, who were sometimes orphans, but often who had just one parent left to care for them.  That parent struggled with work and car,. and was often destitute, without the welfare system that is in place today.

Melbourne Orphanage closed in 1963.  We are in contact with some of its former residents however, and from what we hear, generally they were well cared for and appreciated the opportunities they were given. Meticulous records were kept.  See 'Accessing files' below.

The Department of Human Services worked in conjunction with former careleavers, Community Service Organisations, the Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare and Melbourne City Council to develop this significant memorial, with the support of the Australian and Victorian governments.

Organisations supporting care leavers

Listed at the end of this page are funded support organisations and others which may be useful contacts for care leavers.

Accessing Files

OzChild keeps more recent case files in secure storage off site. Older files (primarily pre-1950), are placed in the Manuscript Section of the State Library. If you would like to check whether your file is in the OzChild archives or the State Library, please contact OzChild Head Office on (03) 9695 2200 or contact us here.

If we have your files in our archives then you will need to make a request in writing to the Executive Officer, OzChild, PO Box 1312, South Melbourne, 3205 to view your files.

Once we have received the written request, we will photocopy your files and forward them to you as soon as possible.  Please be aware that the process of retrieving your file from our secure archive facility, and reviewing it to ensure compliance with privacy legislation, may take up to eight weeks.

If your file is in the State Library you will need a letter of authorisation from OzChild to access your records.  You will need to make an appointment before you visit the State Library.  Contact OzChild on (03) 9695 2200 or contact us here.

Find and Connect Service

The Australian government, as confirmed in its 2010-11 federal budget, plans to implement a Find and Connect Service for care leavers.  The planned service is to help care leavers and former child migrants trace their personal and family histories and reunite with family members, where possible, through a records tracing and support service.

It will also provide people who grew up in institutions and foster care with access to case management and counselling support services from trained and skilled providers to trace and reconnect with their families.

To help with tracing records and families, it proposes a national website and single online access point to find records, and a national 1800 telephone number.

Bulletin No 1, available here,  provides information on the scoping study around this project along with a copy of the media release about the proposed service from Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

Histories

The following books on histories of the organisation, which may put the care experience in context for you, are available from OzChild Head Office:

Asylum to Action 1851- 1991 by historian Donella Jaggs, covers the history of The Melbourne Orphanage, Melbourne Family Care Organisation and Family Action.

Selina's Legacy: from VCAS to OzChild by historian Della Hilton, covers the history of the Victorian Children's Aid Society.

Copies are available from Head Office:

OzChild
PO Box 1312
(Level 3, 150 Albert  Road)
South Melbourne  Vic  3205

Phone: 03 9695 2200, fax: 03 9696 0507 or contact us here.

Melbourne Orphanage Reunion

Each year, on the Sunday before the Melbourne Cup in November, OzChild organises a reunion for people who were in the Melbourne Orphanage. In the past few years the reunion has been held in the St Leonards Church Hall in Brighton.  All former boys, girls, staff, family and friends (or others associated with the orphanage) are invited.

OzChild maintains a list of former residents and others who are keen to attend.  If you would like to have your name included, please contact OzChild Head Office on (03) 9695 2200 or contact us here.

Contacts for care leavers

Links to organisations which care leavers may find useful to contact are detailed below.

OPEN PLACE

Open Place is a support service for people who have been in institutional care. It is a joint initiative offered by Berry Street and Relationships Australia (Victoria) and funded by the Victorian State Government to provide support and advocacy for all Victorian Forgotten Australians (and their families), living in Victoria or elsewhere.

Suite 1, 8 Bromham Place
RICHMOND VIC 3121

Phone:  (03) 9421 6162
Toll Free:  1800 779 379
Fax:  (03) 9429 5536
Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.openplace.org.au

CLAN

PO Box 164
GEORGES HALL  NSW  2198
www.clan.org.au

Care Leavers Australia Network (CLAN) is a support and advocacy group for people brought up in care away from their family as state wards or were raised in Children's Homes, orphanages or other institutions, or in foster care.  CLAN is also for anyone who has a close family member who was placed in "care".

VANISH

PO Box 112
CARLTON SOUTH  VIC  3053
Level 3, 100 Franklin Street
MELBOURNE  Vic  3000

Phone:  03 9328 8611
Freecall 1800 334 043
Fax:  03 9329 1752
Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.vanish.org.au

VANISH provides a formal structure which efficiently and effectively delivers advice, search and support to any member of the community who has experienced separation from their family of origin through adoption, being placed in an institution or foster care or through donor conception.  It is a Victorian State Government funded service.

VANISH staff and volunteers have a personal experience in search and reunion and are happy to assist any person undertaking research.

Create

HEAD OFFICE
Level 6 - 280 Pitt St
SYDNEY  NSW  2000

Phone: 02 9267 1999
Freecall:  1800 655 105
Fax:   02 9267 9433
Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.create.org.au

Create can be contacted to find out about opportunities for children and young people in care. Create improves the care system through activities, programs, training and policy advice.

To check out the website for young people leaving care www.createyourfuture.org.au

Alliance for Forgotten Australians

C/- Families Australia
Suite 3, 7 National Circuit
BARTON  ACT  2600

Phone:  02 6273 4885
Fax:  02 6273 4886
www.familiesaustralia.org.au

The national Alliance for Forgotten Australians is auspiced by Families Australia, an independent, peak, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to promoting the needs and interests of families.  Families Australia is not aligned to any political party or religious group.

The Alliance promotes the interests of people who were raised in orphanages, Homes, or other out-of-home care, in the 20^th century.  As an aid to inform and educate health and welfare professionals about the experiences and needs of these people, the Alliance has produced a booklet entitled, "Forgotten Australians: supporting survivors of childhood institutional care in Australia."  It is available, free of charge, from Families Australia, while stocks last.