Ashendene Boys Home history in brief
In December 1966, Ashendene Boys Home opened in a former large private home at Olinda, about 32 kilometres east of Melbourne. It was bought to accommodate 28 boys aged 10 to 15 years, as well as boys from Turana and some older boys from Allambie.
Both Ashendene and Hillside accepted difficult-to-place young people. By 1977, Ashendene’s main intake was from Baltara when home releases or other placements had broken down. Ashendene provided longer-term care for older boys with unstable placement histories.
In 1978 the home’s capacity was reduced to 24.
In 1987–88, Ashendene was relocated from Olinda to new premises in Croydon and the name changed to Croydon Way.
In 1988, Croydon Way became a regional medium-term residential unit housing up to eight male and female adolescents.
Croydon Way closed in 1993.
Warning about distressing information
This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.
Disclaimer
Please note that the content of this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, see Find & .
Sources
- Guide to out-of-home care services 1940–2000: volume one – agency descriptions, compiled by James Jenkinson Consulting, North Melbourne, November 2001.
- Croydon Way accessions of records.
List of records held by the department
Ashendene Boys Home
Child information
Admission and movement register (1966–89)
Volume; Permanent VPRS 17946 / P0001
Content: This register records admissions to and discharges from Ashendene Boys Home. All residents admitted were male. The volume is pre-printed to record admissions on the right-hand page and discharges on the left-hand page at every opening. Entries are arranged chronologically by date of admission or discharge with information recorded across the pages in columns.
For admissions the columns record:
- date of admission
- section or number [a sequential admission number unique to the volume]
- name
- date of birth
- ward number
- mother’s and father’s names
- address of parents
- place from which the boy was received.
Discharge columns record:
- date of discharge
- ward number
- name of boy being discharged
- date of birth
- details [includes the original admission number]
- released to [name and address of person or place]
- original admission date.
For most years, a single double page opening in the volume records all admissions and discharges for the particular calendar year. For several years there is instead a monthly breakdown of admissions and discharges.
Child case history files (incorporated files from Baltara Reception Centre) (1966–88)
File; Permanent VPRS 17971 / P0001
Content: A file was created for each resident at Ashendene Boys’ Home, most of whom were state wards. The files are in manila folders or on generic stationery as Ashendene did not have its own printed file covers.
The files incorporate documentation that was transferred with the young people from other institutions including Baltara and Turana.
This series includes the white ‘Baltara reception and classification case history’ files that were transferred with the children to the new institution. The Baltara files were incorporated into the filing system at Hillside, and therefore should contain the entire file contents from the child’s earlier placement.
Although young people were also transferred from Turana Youth Training Centre their central case history file does not seem to have been sent with them to the new centre (unlike the residents from Baltara). Most likely there is duplicate documentation sent from Turana on the files.
The files may include the following details:
- ward of state number
- child’s name
- date of birth
- personal description
- religion
- when admitted
- case history
- family and social history
- documentation regarding adoption matters and wardship
- case and wardship reviews
- case planning
- assessment notes
- behavioural notes
- education reports
- work experience arrangements and employment records
- holiday leave arrangements
- Social Security details
- abscondings
- offences committed
- probation reports
- incident reports
- medical treatment details
- medical reports
- dental records
- psychiatric reports
- psychological assessments
- movement history
- record of mail received
- record of visitors received, leave records
- Victoria Police statements
- court documents
- bail undertakings
- circumstances and date of discharge.
The files record details of movements to, and from, other institutions and details regarding foster placement.
School attendance records (1978–89)
Document; Temporary
Content: A small number of records comprising correspondence from school principal, copies of class rolls, certified return of school attendances et cetera.
Single contact cards / medical expense cards (1978–89)
Card; Temporary
Content: These cards are in separate sequences, both alphabetically by client name. These records came from the Lilydale Office and were transferred to the Department archives with Ashendene Children’s Home child case history files. It is unclear if these relate to Lilydale Office transactions or former Ashendene residents.
Single contact card to be filled in when a person visits centre and is interviewed by a departmental worker.
Content: These yellow cards detail the name, address and worker or duty social worker (case worker) for each child. The rest of the collated information is divided up in a column format with the following headings:
- referral
- family structure / role / name
- D.O.B [date of birth]
- action taken.
These yellow cards detail home and visits to children and parents at home with children (multiple entries). The cards have attached notes and could provide important information on a point in time.
Wards’ Medicare and medical information
The cards include ward name, ward number, Medicare numbers and details of the cost of pharmacy items and medical visits. The medical expense cards are arranged A–Z.
Communication books (1987–88)
File, Volume; Temporary
Content: These volumes were created to document activities and incidents that occurred daily in the residential unit. These records were used to provide a means of communication between staff working different shifts as to occurrences and actions needed to be taken. The pages from the first volume in this sequence have been removed from their binding and placed in a separate manila folder.
The staff communications document behaviour of residents, problems and achievements and include school, travel, interactions with other staff, residents, visitors and external people et cetera.
Entries in the volumes are arranged chronologically. For each date entries may be identified by time of the occurrence being documented and identified further by the name/s of residents, staff or other people concerned.
In some volumes colour coding is used to identify individuals or types of occurrence that presumably assisted staff in compiling reports. The keys to the colour codes may be recorded inside the front covers of individual volumes.
Departmental administration
Budget / expenditure estimates (1979–87)
File; Temporary
Content: These financial records are a collection of budget estimates for financial years 1979–80 to 1988–89. Documents include photocopies, expenditure report printouts and budget sheets with pencil workings marked.
Register of accounts (1980–89)
Volume; Temporary
Content: These volumes are an alphabetical register of accounts that list: number of account, period of service, name of claimant, description of claims, amount, date received, to when forwarded, date and remarks.
Staff leave cards (1965–87)
Card; Temporary
Content: The cards in this series document leave entitlements and leave taken by staff employed at Ashendene Children’s Home. The records are arranged alphabetically by staff member’s name and document recreation leave, sick leave, leave in lieu and there is also provision for other leave which presumably could include long service leave.
Community Services Victoria (and predecessor departments) personnel files (c.1950s–88)
File; Temporary
Content: This series comprises the central employee filing system for the department.
These files chart each employee’s history including the following contents: employee's name, date commenced, positions held, leave details, position changes and promotions, salary increases and termination details. Some files include the employee's leave card as well as various employment history details. These records are arranged in alphabetical order by surname.
The files include staff working at the reception centres, training centres and children’s homes.
Croydon Way medium-term residential unit
Communication books (1988-93)
Volume; Temporary
Content: These volumes were created to document activities and incidents that occurred daily in the residential unit. These records were used to provide a means of communication between staff working different shifts as to occurrences and actions needed to be taken.
The staff communications document behaviour of residents, problems and achievements and include school, travel, interactions with other staff, residents, visitors and external people et cetera.
Entries in the volumes are arranged chronologically. For each date entries may be identified by time of the occurrence being documented and identified further by the name/s of residents, staff or other people concerned
In some volumes colour coding is used to identify individuals or types of occurrence that presumably assisted staff in compiling reports. The keys to the colour codes may be recorded inside the front covers of individual volumes.
Reviewed 10 August 2016