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Child Migration Schemes : 02-March-2013
Child Migration Schemes : 02-March-2013

Photographs supplied by Arthur Garland

The sculpture commemorates the Child Migration Schemes that occurred between 1949 and 1976.

During this time the British and Australian governments sponsored the children but they were nominated and 'cared' for by a voluntary organisation. In Tasmania, the organisations approved to run institutions for child migrants were the Fairbridge Society, Clarendon Children's Home, and the Salesians of Don Bosco. The Big Brother Movement also brought out some boys aged 15 and 16 and placed them on rural properties. Some children went to private individuals.

The inquiry into Child Migration stated that 300 'child migrants' were sent to Tasmania between 1949 and 1976, which included 161 children aged 15 to17 years sent under the auspices of the Big Brother Movement and 54 children sent under the Fairbridge scheme whereby children migrated in advance of, or accompanied by, one or both parents.

Between 73 and 77 child migrants came from the United Kingdom to Tasmania and were placed in children's institutions. Between 33 and 37 of these child migrants were sent to Boys' Town in Glenorchy .  Hagley Farm School near Launceston received 9 child migrants under the Fairbridge scheme between 1952 and 1955, and 'Tresca', located in Exeter and run by the Fairbridge Society, received 13 children from 1958. Another 18 child migrants were placed at the Clarendon Children's Home.

St Joseph's Orphanage in Hobart applied for child migrants but failed to gain approval, and St Joseph's Waterton Hall gained approval but never received any migrants.

Some children went to private individuals. However, the authorities did not like this arrangement because, if the relationship between child and adopted parents broke down, the state was forced to take the child into 'care'. The government preferred a voluntary organisation to nominate the child and then place them with individuals after they had arrived. Applicants considered to be too old or with an inadequate income were turned down. However, in 1960, 47 out of 68 migrant children supervised by the Child Welfare Division had arrived through private nomination suggesting that this practice had become more common by then.

Children emigrated under the guardianship of the Federal Minister for Immigration until 1947 and the relevant State Department after that. Prior to the enactment of Commonwealth legislation in 1946, State Child Welfare legislation and the general law covered custody and guardianship arrangements. Children remained under guardianship until they reached the age of 21.

The Senate Inquiry into Child Migration handed down its report, 'Lost Innocents: righting the record' in August 2001. On 16 November 2009, the Australian Parliament issued an apology to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants.

Location

Address:188 Collins Street, Forecourt, Commonwealth Government Centre, Hobart, 7000
State:TAS
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -42.885542
Long: 147.325323
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Monument
Monument Theme:Landscape
Sub-Theme:Settlement

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Wednesday 5th October, 2005
Front Inscription

This memorial is dedicated to 295 innocent children removed from their families and loved ones sent to Tasmania between 1912 and 1972, under British and Commonwealth Child Migration Schemes.

Funding for this memorial has been provided by the Australian Government through the Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon. John Cobb and officially unveiled by the Hon. David Llewellyn, Deputy Premier on 5th October 2005

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au