The History of Child Welfare in Australia

This exhibition room displays the History of Child Welfare in Australia from the First Fleet in 1788 until the 1980s. The main feature wall has a timeline that describes the development of Orphanages, Children’s Homes, Missions, and Foster Care.

Artefacts on display come from Orphanages and Children’s Homes from every state in Australia. A slate tile or a brick might seem ordinary to some, but for Care Leavers, these items may be the only tangible connection to their childhood, especially if those buildings that once housed them were demolished.

The Australian Orphanage Museum in Geelong, Australia, is a unique museum dedicated to documenting and exhibiting authentic social histories about the experience of growing up in orphanages, children’s Homes, Missions and other institutions, including foster care, in Australia.