Convent of the Good Shepherd, Abbotsford history in brief
In 1863, the Abbotsford Convent of the Good Shepherd was established initially as a Private Reformatory for Roman Catholic Girls.
By 1883, overcrowding at Abbotsford prompted the Sisters to open The Convent of the Good Shepherd, Oakleigh, which took over the ‘reformatory’ function.
From the early 1950s, the Abbotsford and Oakleigh Convents of the Good Shepherd were both ‘juvenile schools’ providing accommodation and training for troubled Catholic girls, but not Protestants who remained at Parkville’s receiving depot. The Abbotsford and Oakleigh Convents catered for wards as well as private placements.
By the late 1950s the juvenile schools at Abbotsford and Oakleigh emphasised education and vocational training and promoted and participation in community activities. In 1961, both convent schools were re-designated Youth Training Centres, and Oakleigh became St Margaret's Youth Training Centre. Both were accepting more voluntary (‘preventative’) placements by parents and relatives than statutory referrals.
In 1969, Oakleigh appointed a social worker and established a flat as a half-way house for four girls. Oakleigh also established a transition unit to prepare girls for reintegration to the community. In 1972–73, Abbotsford converted dormitory style accommodation into separate small units. In 1974, the Abbotsford Youth Training Centre closed.
In 1981, the Oakleigh Youth Training Centre (St Margaret’s) was closed, demolished, and the site became part of the Chadstone Shopping Centre.
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 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.
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.85)
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 this home dates from 1956–75 and includes:
- 16/4/1956 – Declaration of establishment as an approved children’s home
- 25/7/1967 – Infant life protection children listed
- 31/12/1971 – Closure of section for young girls.
Family Welfare Division funding and accounts files (1971–77)
File; Temporary
Content: These accounts and funding files are for individual children’s homes and are used to make allocations. They contain a monthly census giving names and dates of birth to calculate per capita expenses. There are annual reports of homes, income statements, reports on conditions of homes as assessed on visits. The records are arranged in a broad chronological order.
The specific file(s) relating to this home date from 21/08/1974 to 13/09/1974.
Reviewed 06 September 2016