| Membership of committee |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| Executive summary |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| Recommendations |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
|
| Chapter 1 - Introduction |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Terms of reference
Conduct of Senate Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care
Submissions
The report
Perspectives of institutional care
Recent reports on children's institutions and institutional life
Bringing them home
Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions (Forde Report)
Lost Innocents: Righting the Record
Tasmanian Ombudsman's interim report on abuse of children in State care
Other reports
Commentary on the above reports |
|
| Chapter 2 - Institutional care in Australia |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Institutions
Framework of children's institutional care - Australia
Introduction
Overview
Policies of governments placing children in care
The role of governments, churches and other groups
Developments - institutions versus boarding-out (foster care)
Moves from institutions to other forms of care
Trends in types of care, including move towards foster care
Government responsibility and initiatives for children in institutions
Attitudes of government officials who placed children in care
Government financial contributions to non-government children's homes
Government financial assistance to parents
Number of children in institutional care
Conclusion
Legislative framework, including Commonwealth’s role
Background of child welfare laws
An overview - provisions of the child protection laws
Laws to protect children and young people - inadequaciesand contraventions
Conclusion
Major organisations and their institutions for children
Early-days developments
Orphanages
Industrial Schools
Juvenile Justice Detention Centres
Conclusion
More contemporary times for children's institutions
Catholic institutions
Anglican (Church of England)
Salvation Army
Uniting Church
Wesley - Dalmar
Burnside - Presbyterian
Uniting Protestant Association Homes
Plymouth Brethren (ie, Silky Oaks)
Hopewood
Barnardos Australia
Government organisations
New South Wales
Victoria
Queensland
Western Australia
Experiences of various homes and orphanages
Comparisons of homes with jails
Experiences of other homes
Conclusion |
|
| Chapter 3 - Why children were in homes |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
State wards
Legislative provisions of wardship
New South Wales
Victoria
Care leavers' experiences of wardship processes
Other children in care
Reasons for children being place in homes
Single parents (usually mother)
Death of a parent or parents
Parents' divorce or separation
Parent(s) unable to care for children
Economic stress and social disadvantage
Children abandoned
Sexual abuse by a parent
Children escaping domestic violence and parental alcoholism
Repatriation children
Conclusion |
|
| Chapter 4 - Treatment and care of children in institutions |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Receiving children into care
Arrival
Health checks, delousing and body searches
Removal of belongings and clothes
Physical environment and living conditions
Buildings and accommodation
Food
Clothing
Personal hygiene
Depersonalisation and other forms of psychological abuse
Lack of love and affection
Suppression of identity and individuality
Lack of privacy
Visits by family members
Forms of Punishment
Bedwetting
Isolation, including locking in cupboards and cells
Standing on spot for hours
Secondary abuse
Discipline and physical assault
Absconding
Sexual assault
Separation of families
Separation of siblings
Forced adoption of babies
Lack of education
Unmet health needs
Work and exploitation of children in care
Types of work performed
Exploitation of children
Non payment of wages
Use of experimental medications and drugs
Children placed in mental homes and other inappropriate accommodation
Fostering arrangements, including holiday placements
Deaths in institutions
Transition from in care to independence
Good memories
Conclusion |
|
| Chapter 5 - Why abuse occurred and was able to continue |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Stories only recently coming to light
Culture of the institutions, organisations, churches
Bullying
Isolation
Institutional staff and other carers
Lack of staff education and training
Suitability of staff
Deception of parents and children
Reaction to disclosures about institutions
Children were better off in care
Standards were different then
They should get on with their life |
|
| Chapter 6 - Life long impact of out of home care |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Quality of life
Relationship problems
Parenting skills
Perspective from wives and partners
Perspective from children
Generational issues
On-going health issues
Post traumatic stress disorder and depression
Suicide
Substance abuse - drug and alcohol addictions
Compulsive and other behavioural issues
Ongoing problems with anger, grief, identity and self-esteem
Employment
Homelessness and other housing problems
Educational attainment
Adult anti-social or criminal activity
Prostitution
Cost to individuals, families and society
Quantifying costs
Benefits of providing services |
|
| Chapter 7 - Responsibility, acknowledgement and apology |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Role and responsibility of governments and non-government bodies
Duty of care
Inspections
Internal processes
Conclusion
Acceptance and denial of responsibility
Conclusion
Acknowledgment and apology
Apologies to ex-residents
Views on the need for an apology
Views on an acknowledgment
Conclusion |
|
| Chapter 8 - Reparation and redress schemes |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Measures of reparation
Civil litigation
Limitation periods
Liability
Proving injury
Vicarious liability
The adversarial system
Cost of litigation
Whistleblowing
Conclusion
Reparations - theory and overseas developments
International law and reparations
Redress/reparations schemes in overseas countries
Redress packages in Canada
Ireland
Redress packages in Australia
Tasmania
Queensland
The Churches/agencies
Other packages
Monetary compensation - the Australian context
Conclusion
Internal Church redress processes
The Catholic Church
Other Churches/agencies
Salvation Army
Barnardos
Uniting Church
Anglican Church
Conclusion
Victims compensation tribunals
Conclusion
The need for a Royal Commission
The nature and role of Royal Commissions
A Royal Commission into institutional abuse
Conclusion |
|
| Chapter 9 - Identity and records |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Identity
Searching for records
Accessing records
State ward and non-ward records
Locating records
Destruction of records
Quality of record keeping
Information and comments contained in records
Support for those viewing records
Issues with access
Government records
Freedom of Information
Assistance with records searches
Non-government records
Family information
Delays and cost of accessing records
Overcoming problems of access
Conclusion |
|
| Chapter 10 - Provision of services |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Services currently provided
State Governments
Non-government agencies
Support groups
Support and advocacy services
Care Leavers of Australia Network (CLAN)
Funding
Other support groups
Conclusion
Inadequate level of services
Conclusion
Counselling
Specialist counselling services
Accessibility of counselling services
Peer support groups
Conclusion
Health and aged care
Mental health
Aged care
Conclusion
Housing and homelessness
Adult literacy and numeracy and other education services
Conclusion
Data collection
Conclusion - improving service provision |
|
| Chapter 11 - Recognition of care leavers |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
Memorials
Reunions
Other forms of recognition
Oral histories
Research into institutional care and its consequences
Conclusion |
|
| Additional remarks by Senator Steve Hutchins |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
|
| Appendix 1 |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
List of public submissions, tabled documents and other additional information
authorised for publication by the committee |
|
| Appendix 2 |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| Witnesses who appeared before the committee at public hearings |
|
| Appendix 3 |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| Bibliography |
|
| Appendix 4 |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| Legislative provisions governing children in institutions |
|
| Appendix 5 |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| Statistics on children in institutional care |
|
| Appendix 6 |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| List of homes and other institutions referred to by care leavers in submissions |
|
| Appendix 7 |
(PDF format) |
(HTML format) |
| Date in care and forms of abuse described by care leavers in submissions |
|
|
|