Correspondence files ('SCD' files) - State Children's Department (GRG27/1)

This series covers all aspects of the State Children's Department's business, including maintenance of state wards, placement of children, suitability of foster homes, absconded state wards, applications by parents for the return of children, applications by state wards for their wages etc.

For the period before 1891 many files are missing*. 23 metres. Continues in GRG 29/6.

For listing for the period 1887-1891 see the Special List to GRG 27/1 in the Research Centre.

For some files click Consignment ID below.

Please note: As State Children's Department files from the nineteenth century are scarce, and as there are no correspondence registers or indexes available, it is difficult to find supporting documentation relating to state wards for this period. Matters such as allegations of neglected or ill-treated children, absconders, delinquent children, applications by parents for release of their children, paternity questions, applications for release from the Industrial School, and payment of maintenance were often referred to Police for investigation. Very often a trace of matters so referred can be found in GRG 5/13, Control registers of files received from other Departments by the Police Department, under the heading 'Destitute', or similar.

For petitions from parents and relatives for the release of children from the control of the State Children's Council see GRG24/6.

* A note regarding missing files: These records were located in the basement of the Government Offices in Victoria Square when inspected by the Archives in 1960. The files were scattered over the floor and much disordered, and after transfer to the Archives many were found to have been eaten by white ants or destroyed by water and mould. For these reasons many affected files were burned. See Transfer Sheet No. 4 (GRG56/12).