Wimmera Community Care (1981 – 2010)

Wimmera history in brief

In 1981, Wimmera Family Group Homes and Wimmera Emergency Housing amalgamated and Wimmera Community Care (WCC) was founded.

In 1985, WCC commenced its foster care program; in 1988 it added a shared family care program. Until 1994, WCC operated two family group homes, one in Horsham and one in Stawell. In 1994, the Stawell family group home closed, and the Horsham property became a residential care unit.

In 1994–95, WCC began its Adolescent Community Placement program. In 2010, the organisation changed its name to Wimmera Uniting Care.

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. See Find & Connect for more detail on the history of child welfare in Australia.

Source

FIND & CONNECT, History and information about Australian orphanages, children’s homes and other institutions website.

List of records held by the department

For information relating to the central management of care leavers and wards of state, please consult the guide to Central department wardship and out-of-home care records. These collections date back to the 1860s and include ward registers, index cards and ward files.

Voluntary children's homes files (c.1930-c.1985)

File Permanent (VPRS Number 18069 / P0001)

Content: The files record interaction between the various voluntary homes and the government. This filing system was created in 1975, combining earlier correspondence and other records to create one system with VH prefixes.

The specific file(s) relating to Wimmera Community Care date from 1980–84 and includes:

• letter regarding successful funding allocated to Wimmera Family Homes for a second family group home in the Wimmera Region, 18 November 1980
• documentation relating to concerns regarding fundraising campaign run by the Wimmera Family Homes Committee, October 1980
• documentation regarding proposal between Uniting Church and Horsham Welfare Liaison Group to sponsor integrated package of family and child welfare services in the Wimmera Region, August to September 1980
• documentation relating to proposed working arrangement between Presbytery of Grampians, Uniting Church of Australia, Orana The Peace Memorial Homes and the Department of Community Welfare Services for Wimmera Family Group Homes, June to August 1980
• letters relating to the possibility of establishing a second family group home in the Wimmera Region by the Wimmera Uniting Church Committee, May 1980

• documentation relating to establishment of a family group home at Horsham by the Wimmera Uniting Church Committee in partnership with the Council of Orana The Peace Memorial Homes for Children, January to March 1980
• documentation relating to proposed working arrangement between Presbytery of Grampians, Uniting Church of Australia, Orana The Peace Memorial Homes and the department for Wimmera Family Group Homes, 8 December 1980 and 16 March 1981
• documentation relating to applications for and declaration of establishments as approved children's homes for Wimmera Family Homes Family Group Homes at 6 Landy Street Horsham and 9 Franklin Street Stawell, June to August 1981
• letter to Chairman Wimmera Community Care advising of the department's agreement with the proposed working arrangement for the Wimmera Family Homes, 21 August 1981
• letter from Director Wimmera Community Care enquiring about the payment of per-capita subsidies for Wards in residence, 6 August 1981

• letter to Director Wimmera Family Care regarding responsibility for their family group homes and case management responsibilities for the wards in residence, 21 July 1981
• letter to the Hon Mr W McGrath MP enclosing some statistical information on government funding for 1980–81 for residential child care facilities operated by the voluntary sector, 21 July 1981
• documentation relating to invitation to the opening on 26 July 1981 of Wimmera Family Homes' second family group home at 9 Franklin Street Stawell, including brochure containing information regarding their family group home program, July 1981
• documents relating to proposal for establishment of third residential unit by Wimmera Community Care in Wimmera Region, including applications for subsidies, October 1981 to October 1982
• memorandum regarding government funding subsidies received by Wimmera Community Care, 13 December 1982
• documentation relating to application from Wimmera Community Care for conversion funding for establishment of Adolescent Unit in Wimmera Region, 13 December 1984

• letter to Director Wimmera Community Care regarding residential child care staffing establishment list for Wimmera Community Care, 4 April 1984
• memoranda concerning Wimmera Community Care's Family Group Homes operating over capacity and possible need for adolescent unit in the Wimmera Region, 20 and 22 December 1983
• letters from Minister for Community Welfare Services to Director Wimmera Community Care regarding review of departmental expenditure due to State Budget, 8 September and 5 October 1983.