Finding
help

Directs you to the Find & Connect

Support Service in your state or territory

Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm

The support service will help you to:

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• access personalised support and counselling
• where possible, obtain your personal records, trace your history and understand why you were placed into care
• connect with other services and support networks that may assist you at this time in your life
• reconnect with family, where possible

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Telephone: 02 6122 7100

Address: 15 Napier Close, Deakin, ACT 2600

Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN) is a not-for-profit organisation working to increase public awareness of the effects that childhood sexual abuse can have on men in their adult lives. SAMSN employs psychologists and social workers who have experience working with male survivors to facilitate support groups for men and their families and supporters.


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Hours: Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm

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The Aftercare Resource Centre is for young adults aged 17 to 24 who are preparing to leave out-of-home care services, or who have recently left their care arrangements. This service is offered face-to-face but is also available online via Zoom or by phone call.

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Services

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●     Counselling

●     Information and referrals to health, legal and family support services

●     A drop-in centre

●     Life skills workshops

●     Social activities and events

●     Newsletters

●     Support for family reunions

●     Access to records

●     Help for education and training

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Address: 67 High Street, Harris Park, NSW 2150

Email: wattleplace@ransw.org.au

Office Location:

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4/11 Railway Terrace, Alice Springs, 0870

Office Location:

5 Shepherd Street, Darwin, 0800

The support service will help you to:

●     access personalised support and counselling

●     where possible, obtain your personal records, trace your history and understand why you were placed into care

●     connect with other services and support networks that may assist you at this time in your life

●     reconnect with family, where possible

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The Forde Foundation is a perpetual and independent charitable trust that assists to improve the lives of Forgotten Australians and other people who were in the care of Queensland institutions or foster care as children (known as care leavers). It provides material aid through a small grants program to enhance the lives of people who may have suffered abuse or neglect in Queensland institutions.

Who can apply for a grant?

You may be eligible for a grant if you answer ‘yes’ to any of the following questions:

●     Were you a ward of the state of Queensland?

●     Were you under the guardianship of the state of Queensland?

●     Were you a resident in a QLD Institution when you were a child?

If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the questions above AND you have registered with the Forde Foundation, you can apply for a grant from the Forde Foundation to help you:

●     with your dental needs

●     with your studies

●     obtain work and progress within your chosen field

●     and live independently.

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Email: fordefoundation@dcssds.qld.gov.au

Lotus Place is the Support Service for Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants in Queensland. Lotus Place will help you to:

●     access personalised support and counselling

●     where possible, obtain your personal records, trace your history and understand why you were placed into care

●     connect with other services and support networks that may assist you at this time in your life

●     reconnect with family, where possible

Telephone: 07 3347 8500

Address: 46 Cleveland Street, Stones Corner, QLD 4101

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Elm Place offers services that respond to people whose lives have been affected by being in out-of-home care when they were children and works alongside the Find & Connect Support Service. Find & Connect offers support to Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants who were in care in South Australia prior to 1989, including foster care, orphanage care, and other state or church-based institutions. Elm Place recognises that people have different experiences of their time in care and the service is respectful of people’s varying needs and issues.

Elm Place provides assistance with:

●     Accessing your records

●     Find & Connect Support Services

●     Searching for and possibly reconnecting with family

●     Access and information to other relevant community services and programs such as health services, employment services and education support

●     Housing and financial management

●     Counselling and therapeutic services

●     Life skills

●     Parenting skills development

●     Identity and relationships

●     A friendly, welcoming place to drop in for support.

Elm Place has a drop in area, a safe place clients can use, to relax, meet other people, have access to a computer or just read the paper. The drop in area is open from Monday to Friday 10am –4pm.

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Location:

151 South Terrace, Adelaide SA 5000

The Find & Connect Support Service in Tasmania helps Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants to trace their history and understand the reason they were placed into care, reconnect with family where possible and to access counselling and other supports.

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Email: enquiries@reltas.com.au

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Hobart Office:

20 Clare Street, New Town,TAS 7008

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Launceston Office:

6 Paterson Street, Launceston, TAS 7250

Broken Rites is a non-denominational support group for people who have been abused sexually, physically or emotionally in religious institutions.


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Adoption Information Services

Email: adoptionrecords@justice.vic.gov.au

Postal address: PO Box 588, Collins Street West, Melbourne VIC 8007

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Open Place is the support service for Forgotten Australians in Victoria. It provides personal support, help with records and family searches, counselling, social activities, reunions, support groups, and opportunities to learn new skills.

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Address: Suite 1 / 8 Bromham Place,Richmond, VIC 3121
Email: info@openplace.org.au

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Tuart Place is a resource service for people who experienced out-of-home care during childhood, including FormerChild Migrants from the UK and Malta, members of the Stolen Generations, and the group known as Forgotten Australians. It provides counselling, advocacy, support groups and life skills classes such as computer literacy. The service also assists people to locate personal and family history documents and, where possible, locate family members.


Email: admin@tuartplace.org

Address: 24 High Street, Fremantle, WA 6160

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Lanterns House is specifically equipped to provide support and assistance to people who want to:

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●     obtain records of their time in ‘care’

●     trace their family

●     access individual counselling and group support

●     participate in social activities or simply drop in for a cuppa and a chat

●     connect with other service and support organisations that may be able to help them at this time in their lives.

Telephone: 08 6164 0240

Email: lanterns@relationshipswa.org.au

Address: 165 Great Eastern Highway,Belmont, WA 6104

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MensLine Australia is a free telephone and online counselling service offering support for Australian men anywhere, anytime.

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CREATE Foundation is the national consumer body representing the voices of children and young people with an out-of-home care experience.

CREATE runs connection and empowerment programs, to support children and young people with an out-of-home care experience to have their say. The insights shared by these young people informs our advocacy, which is evidence-based and driven by research.  

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The Child Migrants Trust has offices in Melbourne and in Perth and provides a range of social work services to former British child migrants all over Australia, including counselling and support with family reunions. The Child Migrants Trust also provides help with information, advice and family research to former British child migrants and their families. The Child Migrants Trust is an international organisation with offices in Australia and the UK and works with former child migrants living inAustralia and other countries.

Telephone: 1800 04 05 09
Email: enquiries@childmigrantstrust.com

The following are not dedicated services for Forgotten Australians; however, you may find they are able to assist.

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The Care Leavers Australasia Network(CLAN) offers support to individuals who have been a state ward, home child or foster child in Australia, or whose parents or other family members have had this experience. CLAN can help you to obtain your ward file or get information about your children’s home and you may advertise at no cost in the newsletter to help locate lost family members, or people you remember from your home and would like to contact.

Email: support@clan.org.au

Postal address: PO Box 164, GeorgesHall, NSW 2198