Records relating to child migrants

​​This is a list of records which contain information about post war child migrants. 

All case files and indexes listed here have either a 50 or 75 year access restriction. If you require access to restricted records, you should apply to: The Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, 34 Davey Street, Hobart Tasmania 7000. For access to the records of the then State Immigration Office​ or the Fairbridge Drake Society you should contact us.

The records of the State Immigration Office document the nomination and arrival of the child migrant.  Records created after their arrival are in the case files of the Department of Social Welfare. The relevant series are:

• General welfare case files (AA226)
  
• Case files of the child welfare division (SWD66) 
  
• Record cards of "non-citizen" children (AD256)
  

Department of Social Welfare 

• File guide to correspondence records c. 1970 - c.1990 (AD247)
  
• Correspondence records 1919 – 1993 (AD203) See file no. 14 for administrative records relating to child migrants.
  

State Immigration Office

• Index to personal nominations 1946 – 1981 (AA60)
  
• Migrant files case files of all nominated migrants 1946 – 1981 (AA59)
  

Department of Social Welfare

• Index to case files of the Child Welfare Division. c.1950 - c.1970 (SWD61)
  
• Case files of the Child Welfare Division c.1944 - 1970 (SWD66) These files are the same as the General welfare case files (AA226) but were removed from this sequence when a separate Child Welfare Division was created within the Department. Files relating to child migrants are included in this series. 
  
• Record cards of "non - citizen" children including children arriving under the Child Migration Scheme 1950 – 1968, 1970 - 1978 (AD256) These cards have a summary on the welfare of child migrants including name and address of the person with whom they are living. 
  
• Correspondence concerning children brought to Tasmania under the auspices of the Overseas Children Reception Committee 1940 - 1945 (SWD60) These children were brought to Tasmania by the Overseas Children Reception Committee. The children were to remain in Tasmania for the duration of the war.  
  
• Master index to applications and associated correspondence relating to the custody and welfare of children under various acts including child migration c.1920 - c.1989 (AD204)
  
• Applications and associated correspondence relating to the custody and welfare of children under various acts including child migration c.1922 - c.1981 (AA226). This series is a merger of several sequences of case files into two alphabetical sequences. 
  

Fairbridge Drake Society

The Fairbridge Society home for orphaned British migrant children and/or migrant children with one parent living. It was established at Exeter, Northern Tasmania in 1957. The home was closed in 1976. In 1991 the Tasmanian records of the society (NS1438) were deposited in the Archives Office. Access to the records is restricted for 75 years.  British records of the Society are housed at the University of Liverpool. Among the records is a Family register 1958 – 1976 and 13 case files c 1965 - 1976 1925 - 1977.

What can I find from other organisations?

National Archives of Australia ​

• Child migration to Australia - Factsheet
  
• The immigration photographic archive - includes images of child migrants
  
• Good British Stock: Child and youth migration to Australia​