NOTE: See Find & Connect for more detail on the history of child welfare in
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.
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.
Staffing Priorities Committee, homes and hostels files (1976-83)
File; Temporary
Content: This collection comprises files documenting the recommendations for staffing positions for homes and hostels, correspondence between the Minister of Community Welfare Services and senior officers as well as funding information.
The Staffing Priorities Committee made recommendations to the minister regarding priority of staffing positions required. Individual homes and hostels are listed accompanied by comprehensive material concerning each home, family group home or hostel.
There are also minutes from the approved children's homes and hostels meetings from 1978–80.
The specific file relating to the Mater Dei Hostel dates from 1977–78.
Staffing Priorities Committee, homes and hostels, correspondence, guidelines for operation and minutes of meetings (1976-80)
File; Unappraised
These records comprise ministerial correspondence, and Staffing Priority Committee minutes and list of members. The Staffing Priorities Committee made recommendations to the minister regarding priority of staffing positions required.
Accommodation and support files, Eastern Metropolitan Region: Files relating to Mater Dei Hostel (1979–97)
File; Unappraised
Content: This collection is composed of files relating to a range of programs overseen by and attributed to Community Services Victoria’s (CSV) Eastern Metropolitan regional office 1979–97. The files are administrative in nature. Because Mater Dei Hostel was geographically within that region, some files that document the department’s relationship with Mater Dei Hostel, and hostel activities, are to be found in the collection.
Following are details of the files that relate specifically to Mater Dei Hostel:
Item 97/119/009/12:
- Harrison Youth Services, Wesley Youth Services, Mater Dei Youth House, non-government organisations, family youth and children’s services, serious incident reports
Item 97/119/041/6:
- Mater Dei Hostel, Society St Vincent De Paul, Community Services Victoria: alternative accommodation and care service plan, service agreement, meeting minutes, duty statement
Item 97/119/041/7
- Mater Dei Hostel service agreement, Society Of St Vincent De Paul
Item 97/119/042/11
- Network meeting – presentation by Mater Dei
Reviewed 26 August 2016