Caring for children since 1851, OzChild is the longest continuous service to children and families in Victoria and has been at the forefront of policy development and innovative program delivery to protect and building children's futures. OzChild's history tells OzChild's story.

The gold rush, which began in 1851, had made few rich, but many became destitute. Families fragmented, and some breadwinners were killed in mining accidents or died in epidemics which swept the canvas towns. There was accordingly an increasing demand for both practical assistance to individuals and families and orphanage care.

The Melbourne Orphan Asylum grew from a government grant of 10 acres in South Melbourne, together with a grant to build a substantial institution. This was a self sufficient system in which secular and religious schooling, food growing, and manufacture of clothing and footwear occurred within its walls. It catered for the innocent victims of misfortune, with only single or double orphans admitted. Their object was to turn out well disciplined young workers for households, farms and workshops.

After 20 years in South Melbourne the orphanage moved to Brighton in 1878 because of financial difficulties, new visions of care and a desire to raise the children in a healthier climate.

This institution was divided into five separate "cottages" with 30 children in each under the primary care of a house mother. The complex also included an administrative building, workshops and a detached hospital. A school was also built on site for the orphanage children. The school was also open to local children. The Brighton Beach Primary School remains today.

The new orphanage complex took only half the population of the previous institution because the other radical move was to "board out" 150 children to foster parents, and in some instances, back to their widowed mothers. This effectively was a form of widows' pension.

The system continued with modifications for some 80 years, including a name change to The Melbourne Orphanage in 1926.

After the second world war, the orphanage began to admit children from broken homes in addition to orphans. In 1954 a social worker was appointed - the first in a charitable children's home in Victoria.

In 1956, in view of overseas trends, a commitment was made to move out of the orphanage in Brighton into family group homes. These were located in the Glen Waverly vicinity, with an administrative and counselling facility in Ferntree Gully Road.

The phasing in of Family Group homes began in 1959 and was completed in 1963 with 14 family group homes established.  The Melbourne Orphanage building was demolished.

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