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Home Stretch Campaign update
Representatives of each of the three care leaver groups were invited to speak to a gathering of Labor Members at Parliament House WA on 10 April 2018, to provide a detailed briefing on the Make Redress Right Campaign. Speakers representing the ‘Forgotten Australians’, the Stolen Generations and their descendants, and formerchild migrants from the UK and Malta gave compelling accounts of their experiences during the one-hour presentation. Standing united in theirquest forjustice, these three groups are a force to be reckoned with.
It seems reasonable to expect that, at the very least, a redress scheme will do no further harm to its participants
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National Redress Scheme Parliamentary Inquiries
In the first part of 2018, Tuart Place provided submissions to three Parliamentary Inquiries into the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse. Our most recent submission is to the Joint Standing Committee’s Inquiry into the oversight of the implementation of redress related recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Tuart Place submission identifies areas of the National Redress Scheme that require amendment and makes some specific recommendations for improving the Assessment Framework. All our submissions are available on the Tuart Place website (Reports & Submissions), and on the Parliamentary websites for each of the Inquiries. In February 2018, FACT Chairperson Ron Love and Tuart Place Director Dr Philippa White gave evidence by invitation at a public hearing of a Senate Committee Inquiry into the Commonwealth Redress Scheme Bill. While they were in Canberra Ron and Pip even managed a quickcatch-up with dedicated care leaveradvocate Wilma Robb, who kindly drove them to the airport after the Hearing. Thanks Wilma!
Home Stretch Campaign Update
The Home Stretch campaign is calling on state and territory governments across Australia to provide an option to extend out-of-home care to 21 years for any young person needing or seeking this. In February 2018, Tasmania became the first State Government to extend care to 21 years, and in June the South Australian governmentannounced thatfrom the start of 2019 carers of young people in foster and kinship care will receive government support payments until the young people in their care turn 21. Many older care leavers describe leaving care as the worst time of all. Institutional life may have been terrible, but they were unprepared
for what came next –suddenly having to find your way in the outside world. Young people were discharged from institutions, often at the age of 16, not knowing how to use a public telephone, catch a bus or open a bank account. Much has changed over the years, but for today’s youngpeople, leavingcare at18 can still be devastating, and within a year, 50% ofstate care leavers will be unemployed, in jail, homeless or become a new parent. Providing young people in state care the extended care option provides a platform for a better start in life and better long-term life outcomes. Older care leavers often tell us their greatest wish is for the mistakes of the past not to be repeated with today’s children and young people. You can help achieve this goal by supporting the Home Stretch campaign. Visit www. thehomestretch.org.au to find out more.
Katrina Brown was four years old when she was taken from her mother to New Norcia mission and was later placed in foster homes and Uniting Church Hostels. Katrina began searching for her records in 2009, piecing together her family history from documents held by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. In mid-2018, Katrina located further records held in the Battye Library, with the help Tuart Place social worker Jan Newman and Uniting Church Officer Cindy Gorton. Katrina’s records included this photo of her on a horse, taken in 1974. Katrina writes: “On locating my welfare files, although sad, imagine my joy to see this photo of me aged nine years (location unknown).
My family were overjoyed, as this is the only photo I have of myself as a child. Thank you Jan and Cindy for bringing this joy to my life”.
Katrina Brown was one ofthree Tuart Place participants who attended a full day Anxiety Workshop run by psychotherapist Jan Coleman earlier this year. Katrina writes: “Anxiety and panic attacks have always been a big problem for me, resulting from the stress of growing up as a state ward in institutions, from five to eighteen years of age. As an adult, trying to balance the demands of study, work, extended family, friends, partner and children has affected my mental and physical health. Fortunately, I noticed my distress and took up an opportunity to attend a workshop on managing anxiety, and I insisted my sister come with me. The Anxiety Workshop introduced me to a diverse group of people, all who’ve had similar experiences to me, which made me realise that I am not the only one! I found out what panic and anxiety are, and how
Overcoming anxiety and panic attacks
sources of stress can affect behaviour and can cause mental and physical imbalance. I was very pleased to find out that I already had everyday coping mechanisms that I was unaware of. I also identified ‘mistaken beliefs’, and learnt how life experiences have impacted on my personality. I learnt ‘selftalk’ techniques, which I found very helpful. The workshop taught me how to apply these skills and techniques every day”.
Thanking you, with kind regards, Katrina.
Ray McGowan - A fine family reunion
After 19 years of searching, Ray McGowan finally found his birth family in England several years ago, with help from the Child Migrant Trust. After travelling to England for a family reunification, Raywaspleased toreturn thehospitality February 2018, when he welcomed nephews Robert and Martin to Australia. Robert and Martin spent plentyoftime getting to know their cousin Ray during their two-week stay in Perth, and enjoyed meeting Ray’s good friends Jacqi and Dee. Ray also introduced his cousins to the people of Tuart Place, where they had a great fun visit and joined in the singing and good cheer.
I would like to thank Tuart Place for organising the bus tour to Mundaring Dam in July2018. It was a lovelytrip and enjoyed by all, including my wife and me. We especially enjoyed the singing and laughter. The BBQ was also enjoyed by all, it was superb with the little extras from nearly everyone. Even the birds enjoyed it! I think we should do this kind of thing more often. There are a lot of places to see, like the Pinnacles at Cervantes, Rottnest Island, Penguin Island, Mandurah, Whiteman Park and more! Thanks for a great day everyone, and especially John Ryall for driving the bus.
Roslyn Smith and Rebecca McIlroy from the Aged Care Branch of the Commonwealth Department of Health said it was an honour to speak with a group at Tuart Place about Aged Care options earlier this year. Rebecca and Roslyn enjoyed the great discussion and questions from participants, and gained some valuable information and ideas on improving services for older care leavers. In turn, they gave us some very good contacts for educating people working in the aged care sector about the needs and aspirations of older care leavers. McCusker Foundation Intern Jake Norris, who is on placement with us until the end of the year, will be working on Tuart Place’s aged care projects and strategies for training aged care service providers in the community.
Spotlight on aged care
The Fairbridge Commemorative Service, held in April each year, is a tradition dating back to the early 1960s. Our photo shows (L-R): Old Fairbridgian and exserviceman Mike Keogh; Murray Shire President David Bolt; OFA President Derek Smith, Deputy Commissioner; Department of Veteran Affairs Peter King; ex-Royal Australian Navy serviceman Terry Reid; and OFA Committee Member/Museum Coordinator Allan Deverall at the 2018 Commemorative Service. The group is standing at the Fairbridge Memorial Gates –a visionary project designed and constructed by two KingsleyFairbridge Farm School Old Boys(nowdeceased), Syd and Ted Collins, for the purpose of: “Annually remembering
those Fairbridge Kids who departed Australia to join Australia’s Defence Forces, and on numerous occasions never returned to their adopted Country”.
Original school room at St Joseph’s restored
10 In early June 2018 it was announced that the original school room at St Joseph’s Orphanage had been restored. Mrs Mary Cooper (nee Patton) and Mrs Maureen Colgan did a ring around of past pupils and sent out invitations for a small reunion and showing, so that those who had attended fifth and sixth standard classes in the room could view the restored building. On 27th June about thirty of us got together for the occasion. Johnno also came along as he went to St Vincent’s Foundling Home when he arrived in Australia. The classroom was a beautiful surprise as the inside was beautifully renovated with wooden floors. The windows looked a treat after being in disrepair for so long. On the side walls were blackboards (minus chalk) but looking good all the same. The younger girls insisted it had been a Chapel, while to the older girls it was a classroom. The get together and catering was provided by MercyCare, with delicious sandwiches and cakes, plus mini sausage rolls, party pies and quiche provided too. After a bite to eat Mary Cooper gave a speech on her memories of St Joes. It was very well written with funny stories such as putting one over the nuns, by hiding sand at the bottom of buckets that were supposed to be full with olives. It was great to catch up with friends of the past. All too soon the morning was over. Till the next get together.
by Ann McVeigh
It was a long haul, but they got there in the end! Restoration of the 1936 Clontarf clock tower was a major project undertaken by the Old Boys Heritage Committee, and it also proved to be one of the trickiest. However, after a series of setbacks over a number of years, the clock tower is now fully restored and operational. As you can see, it was 12.51pm when Clontarf Old Boys Peter Bent, Mike Carroll, Dennis McNerney, Ron Love, Paul Bradshaw, Mike Hogan, Dougie McGlade and supporter Carmel Ipock gathered for this photo, taken on 4 July 2018. Mike Carroll, Secretary of the Clontarf Old Boys Heritage Committee, said the Committee has worked in partnership with the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC) over the last four years on projects that were funded from money collected through a raffle run by Clontarf Old Boys at the Farmer’s Market every Saturday morning. The two main projects were the Heritage Trail and the Clock Tower. The COBHC would like to acknowledge the ILC’s generosity in taking on the onerous and painstaking work of refurbishing the tower. In particular, Senior Heritage Advisor Matthew Wilson, who carefully managed each complex stage and finally brought the project to its completion.
FLASHBACK: The COBHC stall at the Farmers Market was hugely successful and a great fundraising venture
There’s no place like Home....
People sometimes struggle to understand the strongattachmentsome ex-residents feel to the institutions where childhood abuse and neglect took place. Wouldn’t you wish the place didn’t exist? And why on earth would you want to go there? Indeed, some care leavers feel disgust and anger towards the place - they feel no connection and no desire to go there. Others may go just once –to see though adult eyes that it is no longer terrifying, as a way of ‘gaining mastery’ over the fears of childhood. Another group of ex-residents feel a strong connection to the Home or orphanage in which they spent their years of childhood. It’s not surprising really –most people feel some connection to place where they grew up. It was their childhood home - the place where they lived with other kids who became like siblings, and had good and bad times. The members of this group are determined to preserve its history and heritage.
As Derek Smith, President of the Old Fairbridgians Association (WA), commented earlier this year, many of the tourists who visit Fairbridge these days ask: “Were you sexually abused?”. Not surprisingly, Derek and his colleagues find this question offensive. Derek says: “We know some very serious sexual abuse happened at Kingsley Fairbridge Farm School, but is that all people are interested in? Would they like their childhoods reduced to that? We’renotpretendingabusedidn’t happen, we are seeking to preserve the broader history of the place –good and bad –because it is an amazing story and a remarkable piece ofhistory with some very diverse and wonderful outcomes”.
Derek Smith and his fellow Committee members are looking for a historian/ researcher to collate a history of the Kingsley Fairbridge Farm School WA (1913-61). If you can help, please contact Derek (08) 9337-5685 or email fairbridgewa@gmail.com
