Organisation Pirra Children's Home for Girls (1961 - c. 1980)
- From
- 1961
Lara - To
- c. 1980
- Functions
- Care Provider and Children's Home
- Alternative Names
- Pirra Girls' Home
- Categories
Summary
The Social Welfare Branch established the Pirra Girls' Home in the early 1960s. The Home was established in one of Victoria's oldest colonial mansions at Lara, near Geelong. Like the Hillside Boys' Home, the government established Pirra to accommodate girls who were regarded as more or less 'unplaceable' within the Victorian system, aged between 11 and 15. Pirra received its first three girls in April 1961. By June 1962, it was almost at capacity, with 27 girls in residence. Pirra was closed by the Department in about 1980.
Record Holdings
Department of Human Services, State Government of Victoria
-
- Collection Title
- Victorian Government Records relating to Wardship and Adoption
- Date Range
- 1864 -
Details
The girls and young women at Pirra attended community focused programs and many were later placed in foster care or returned to their family. In 1962, the annual report described the successful placement of Pirra girls in private homes as 'really amazing … in view of the former mode of living of these girls'.
However, girls who were not able to return home or be placed in foster care were transferred to Youth Training Centres.
Pirra's first superintendent was Miss C. Ross Morrison (later Mrs H. Rudduck). In March 1965, Miss L.M. Dodgshun (a former matron at Bethany Babies' Home) took over as superintendent. Pirra had an Auxiliary, led in the early 1960s by Mr Dick Austin, which organized garden parties to raise funds.
The girls at Pirra had pets, including a pony, sheep, dogs and guinea pigs.
Events
- 1961 - c. 1980
- Pirra Children's Home is situated in Lara (Geelong). Location: Geelong
Related Entries
Records managed by
Run By
Published Resources
Reports
- Annual report: Social Welfare Department, Government Printer, Melbourne, 1961-1978. 1962. Details
- James Jenkinson Consulting, Guide to out-of-home care services, 1940-2000, This Guide was originally developed in 2001, and its content revised as a result of DHS's 'Update Project' in 2007-2009, Department of Human Services, Unpublished. Details
Online Resources
- 'Name withheld (submission no 279)', in Inquiry into Children in Institutional Care: Submissions received by the committee as at 17/3/05, Commonwealth of Australia, 2005, http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/clac_ctte/completed_inquiries/2004-07/inst_care/submissions/sub279.pdf. Details
- Gaffney, Kate, 'Ms Kate Gaffney (submission 207)', in Inquiry into Institutional Care: Submissions received as at 17/03/05, August 2003, http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/clac_ctte/completed_inquiries/2004-07/inst_care/submissions/sublist.htm. Details
Sources used to compile this entry: James Jenkinson Consulting, Guide to out-of-home care services, 1940-2000, This Guide was originally developed in 2001, and its content revised as a result of DHS's 'Update Project' in 2007-2009, Department of Human Services, Unpublished.
Prepared by: Cate Elkner
Created: 17 March 2009, Last modified: 5 August 2010