findingrecords.dhhs.vic.gov.au

McCallum House (1955–81)

Summary

  • Auspice: Committee of Management
  • Name: McCallum House (1955–81)
  • Other names: Central Highlands Regional Residential Association for Intellectually Disabled Persons (1982–97), McCallum Disability Services Inc. (1997– )

McCallum House history in brief

In 1955, the Y’s Men’s Club, led by its then president Mr R Austin McCallum, established a facility in Ballarat to provide education, welfare and therapy for children with disabilities – McCallum House.

In 1975, McCallum House Day Training Centre at Ballarat participated in an early trial to integrate children with intellectual disabilities into mainstream schools. In 1981, the centre’s programme involved 18 children in various mainstream schools.

In 1981, McCallum house evolved into the Central Highlands Regional Residential Association for Intellectually Disabled Persons. Wards of the state were among the residents of homes run by the organisation. That year, the association gained approval to operate Category 2 Children’s Homes: 8 Wollway Court, Delacombe; 14 Errard Street, Ballarat; 210 Victoria Street, Ballarat.

In 1997, a merger with Central Highlands Regional Residents Association and Central Highlands Independent Living Inc formed McCallum Disability Services Inc., which operates today.

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 & ConnectExternal Link .

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 / P00021

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 relating to the Central Highlands Regional Residential Association for Intellectually Disabled Persons [formerly McCallum House] is dated from 1981–83 and includes :

File VH-125:

  • copies of departmental memorandum recommending ministerial approval of subsidy for a ward resident at Golden City Community Residential Unit, Bendigo, 1981
  • correspondence to acting director, Mental Retardation Services, regarding subsidies for individuals with intellectual disabilities transferred from St Joseph’s, Sebastopol, to new community residential units, 1981
  • application for subsidy, memorandum seeking ministerial approval of the subsidy, and letter approving subsidy, for wards resident at Golden City Community Residential Unit and at McCallum House, Ballarat, 1981
  • correspondence regarding, application for and approval of declaration as approved children’s homes McCallum House facilities at Category 2 Children’s Homes: 8 Wollway Court, Delacombe; 14 Errard Street, Ballarat; 210 Victoria Street, Ballarat, 1981
  • first annual report, Central Highlands Regional Residential Association for Intellectually Disabled Persons, 1983
  • copy of agreement between McCallum House and Central Highlands Regional Residential Association for Intellectually Disabled Persons in relation to three children’s homes, 1983
  • correspondence advising of the transfer of responsibility for residential care from McCallum House Committee to the Central Highlands Regional Residential Association for Intellectually Disabled Persons, 1983

Grampians Region, Intellectual Disability Services, central files (1981-93)

File; Unappraised

Content: These collections contain the central filing system for the Grampians Region, Intellectual Disability Services. The filing system is divided into voluntary sector files and management files with a different numbering system for each group.

The files relating to McCallum House, Ballarat are voluntary sector files that were mainly operational including such functions as:

  • personnel and payroll
  • capital funding
  • property insurance
  • motor vehicles
  • centre visit reports
  • day training subsidies
  • centre admissions, waiting lists and client transfer procedures
  • resident’s fees
  • monthly statistics.

Some of the files document the executive and reporting, including:

  • annual reports
  • committee of management, executive committee and McCallum House parents and friends club reports
  • Central Highlands Regional Residential Association meeting minutes.

Files are numbered in a multi-number sequence. Records relating to McCallum House (day training centre) are identified by the primary digit 7.

Records relating to the Central Highlands Regional Residential Association for intellectually disabled persons are identified by files numbered with the primary digit 5.

Reviewed 10 August 2016