Miss Heather Anderson Home history in brief
In 1967, Miss Heather Anderson of Moonee Ponds applied to conduct a children's home for up to four state wards. Miss Anderson was a member of the Church of Christ, with some experience in working as a missionary in a children's home in Lebanon.
While this application was being assessed, Miss Anderson's home was approved under the infant life protection provisions of the Children's Welfare Act. The facility functioned somewhere between a private foster home and a children's home.
From 1968 to 1973, Miss Anderson cared for four children (two sibling groups).
In 1973 the children were transferred to other placements and the home ceased to function.
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 help 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 (1967–73)
File; Permanent (VPRS Number 18069 / P0001)
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 ‘Miss Heather Anderson Home Moonee Ponds’ dates from 1967–73 and includes:
VH 110/79
- applications of Heather Anderson to open home for children (to accommodate five children), 1967 and 1968
- building plan of the facility, 1967
- correspondence regarding applications, the home can operate under the infant life protection provisions but is not an approved children’s home, 1967–68
- inspection reports 1967, 1968, 1970, 1972
- correspondence regarding departmental payments for two wards in residence, 1972, 1973
- report and correspondence regarding two named wards (sisters) 1973.
Reviewed 31 August 2016