Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services
Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services, 18 George Street, Redfern, NSW
Location	18 George Street, Redfern, City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Built	1874–1875
Architectural style(s)	Victorian Filigree
Owner	Aboriginal Children's Service Ltd

New South Wales Heritage Register
Official name: Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services and Archives; ACS; Denholme
Type	State heritage (built)
Designated	13 July 2015
Reference no.	1951
Type	Historic site
Category	Aboriginal

Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

The Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services, also called Aboriginal Children's Services (ACS), is a group that helps Indigenous Australian children and families in Sydney, Australia.

The building where ACS is located is a heritage-listed site. It's also known as Denholme. This building was once a home, built between 1874 and 1875. You can find it at 18 George Street in Redfern, a suburb in Sydney. This important building was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 13 July 2015.

Redfern's History

Early Days of Redfern

Long ago, the area we now call Redfern had sand hills and swamps. These places provided lots of food for the Gadigal people. They are a clan of the Eora Nation, who lived here before European settlers arrived. Even though colonisation caused many problems, Gadigal culture survived.

As the town of Sydney grew, other Aboriginal people from across New South Wales came to live and work in the city. Redfern became a special place where Aboriginal people found shelter and connected with their families and community. This connection continues even today.

How Redfern Got Its Name

The name Redfern comes from a land grant given to William Redfern in 1817. Before that, it was known as Robert's Farm and Boxley's Swamp. William Redfern's land was about 100 acres (40 hectares). It stretched across what are now Cleveland, Regent, Redfern, and Elizabeth Streets.

In 1834, Redfern's land was divided and sold in smaller pieces. George Street was named in 1842 during another land sale. A law called the Sydney Slaughterhouses Act 1849 brought more businesses to the area. This law stopped abattoirs (places where animals are killed for meat) and other smelly businesses from being in the city. So, many tanners, wool washers, and abattoirs moved to Redfern and Waterloo. By the late 1850s, Redfern was a busy suburb with 6,500 people.

Redfern Becomes a Municipality

In 1858, a law allowed districts to become their own municipalities (local governments). After many meetings and requests, Redfern Municipality was officially created on 11 August 1859. It was the fourth municipality formed in Sydney under this new law.

The Redfern Town Hall opened in 1870, and the Albert Cricket Ground opened in 1864. The Redfern Post Office started in 1882. By the end of the 1800s, Redfern was a mix of farms, factories, and homes.

The Building at 18 George Street

Early History of the House

The address 18 George Street first appears in records in 1871 as an empty piece of land. The first mention of a building there is in 1875. It was a home called "Denholme," belonging to John Williamson, a solicitor (lawyer).

John Williamson lived at 18 (sometimes listed as 20) George Street until 1889. This means the house "Denholme" was built between 1873 and 1875.

By 1890, the house was still called "Denholm" (without the 'e'). The new resident was Frederick Chapman, who was a prothonotary (a type of court clerk).

In 1949, the Redfern Municipal Council joined with the City of Sydney. A plan was made in 1948 to knock down all the houses and build tall apartment blocks. If this plan had happened, 18 George Street would have been torn down.

Aboriginal Activism in Redfern

A Hub for Change

The 1900s saw a rise in political action among Aboriginal people. They formed groups to fight for changes to the constitution and their rights. Many Aboriginal people lived in Redfern, often in crowded conditions. This led to a strong need for services and support.

Redfern became a key place for activism around civil and land rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In the 1960s and 1970s, Aboriginal people in Redfern faced unfair rules, like a 10 pm curfew. If they were found on the street after 10 pm, they could be arrested, even if they hadn't done anything wrong.

Important Services Emerge

In 1970, a group of activists decided to help. They wanted to provide legal help for Aboriginal people who didn't know their rights. Paul Coe, Isabel Coe, Gary Williams, Gary Foley, and Tony Coorey asked for help from Hal Wootten, a law professor. Together, they started the Aboriginal Legal Service in Redfern. This service helped many people and led to similar services being set up across Australia.

In July 1971, another important service began in Redfern: the Aboriginal Medical Service. It offered free health care to Aboriginal people. This service gave advice on nutrition and general health, especially for those living in crowded homes. One of its founders was Shirley Smith (Mum Shirl).

Around this time, a men's group started a fruit and vegetable program and a breakfast program. These programs made sure families had food and that those in need got at least one meal a day. Other pioneering Aboriginal-run groups in Redfern included the Aboriginal Housing Company, Black Theatre, and Murawina.

Protecting Homes and Children

In 1972, a company started buying houses and forcing Aboriginal tenants to leave. With help from the Builders Labourers Federation, some people moved back into the properties and refused to leave. The Builders Labourers Federation then stopped any new building work on those properties.

In 1973, the Aboriginal Housing Company was officially formed. It received government money to buy "the Block," a group of houses. Black Theatre, an Aboriginal-run theatre company, was also started in 1972. Murawina began as a breakfast program in Newtown in 1972. It became a child care centre in Redfern in 1974 and later helped with housing and became a meeting place for Aboriginal women.

Later, in 1979, the Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern (ADTR) was founded. In 1981, Radio Redfern started with a short show on 2SER.

The 1970s were a crucial time in Redfern for Aboriginal rights. Aboriginal people actively fought against unfair treatment. They successfully organized to solve problems like poverty, housing, and poor health care. Providing services for Aboriginal children was a big part of this movement. It was a response to children still being taken from their families and the need for foster care that respected their culture.

Changes in Child Welfare

In 1969, the Aborigines Protection Act was removed. This officially ended the policy of taking Aboriginal children from their families to make them live like non-Indigenous people. However, problems continued in child welfare. In 1985, a committee noted that welfare groups often didn't understand the differences in Aboriginal family life and child care. They didn't fully respect the idea of the extended Aboriginal family and the important kinship ties.

Aboriginal people spoke out about their concerns. At a conference in 1976, they said Aboriginal children should be fostered with Aboriginal families. They also said kinship ties should be considered. It wasn't until 1987 that the Aboriginal Child Placement Principle was developed. However, the Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services had already been following this approach for 11 years.

The Start of Aboriginal Children's Services

Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services started in 1975. It offered many services for children and families, especially focusing on foster care. Important women like Mum Shirl, Isabel Coe, Bev Coe, Jenny Munro, and Ann Weldon helped make it a success.

At first, the service received money from Australian Catholic Relief. Later, the NSW Department of Community Services took over funding. The Australian Government also gave grants sometimes. For example, in July 1978, The Canberra Times reported that the Department of Social Services gave $18,550 to the service. This money was for leasing and furnishing a house and hiring a house parent to give Aboriginal children temporary emergency housing.

The service received NSW government funding until 2008, when it was stopped. The government felt that ACS did not meet new training and other requirements. Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services found it hard to meet these demands with less money. However, the service still continues today with help from a non-profit group. It does charitable work and speaks up for Aboriginal children.

Why ACS Was Needed

The Aboriginal Children's Service was created because Aboriginal children faced cultural problems when placed with non-Indigenous families. In 1980, The Canberra Times reported on a study that showed Aboriginal children were often placed in non-Indigenous foster homes or institutions. The study found that placing Aboriginal children in non-Indigenous foster homes often failed. Children were often placed with three or more different families.

The study concluded that Aboriginal children should only be adopted by Aboriginal families. It also said that Aboriginal community groups like ACS should be the main point for adoptions. Their experience showed they were better at meeting the cultural needs of Aboriginal children.

Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services played a key role in changing child welfare policy in NSW. This group, started by the community and run mostly by volunteers, changed how services for Aboriginal children were provided. These changes are still in place today. ACS also influenced wider policies, leading to "kinship care." This means that if a child needs to be removed from their parents, they are first placed with family members. If no Aboriginal family is available, the child is placed with an Aboriginal family in their community. If no Aboriginal carers are available, the child is placed with non-Indigenous carers but still has access to their Aboriginal community.

Many Aboriginal women were vital to the success of Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services. Six Wiradjuri women were involved in its start: Colleen Shirley Perry, Isabel Coe, Jenny Munro, Vilma Ryan, and Sylvia Scott.

Colleen Shirley Perry (Mum Shirl) was a Wiradjuri woman born around 1924. She was known as "Mum Shirl" for her extensive work helping prisoners. She raised 60 foster children and helped start the Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services. She received awards for her welfare work.
Isabel Coe was also a Wiradjuri woman. She was an Aboriginal activist who helped set up the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra in 1972. She was key in starting many important groups in Redfern, including the Aboriginal Children's Services.

Key People at ACS

Jenny Munro started at the Aboriginal Children's Service in 1979. She worked as a trainee bookkeeper and then as an administrator. She also actively worked to change policies for Aboriginal children. She was one of the first leaders of the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC). Her husband, Lyall Munro Jnr, also worked at ACS.
Vilma Ryan worked at the Aboriginal Children's Service. She helped many Aboriginal children in the court system and worked to place them with Aboriginal foster carers. She also supported Aboriginal education. In 2000, she was a torch bearer for the Sydney Olympics. She received an award in 2012 for her long-time activism.
Sylvia Scott was born on a mission in Cowra. She helped found Murrawina pre-school for Aboriginal children, one of the first Aboriginal-run groups in Sydney. She was its president for 17 years. She also worked at Petersham TAFE and as an Aboriginal health worker at the Children's Hospital Camperdown. She passed away in 2011 at age 83.

Locations and Impact

Before moving to 18 George Street, the service was in other places. In 1980, it was at 31-33 Regent Street, Redfern. Ann Weldon was the director then. Weldon is a Wiradjuri woman and helped start the NSW Aboriginal Children's Service. She has held many leadership roles for over 30 years. She was the first female CEO of the Aboriginal Legal Service and the first CEO of the NSW Aboriginal Land Council.

In 1975, Aboriginal Children's Services were also set up in Cowra, St Marys, and Wagga Wagga.

Today, Redfern has changed a lot. Many Aboriginal people have moved to other areas like Waterloo because the suburb has become more expensive. Services supporting the Aboriginal community have followed them. Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services is now a rare example of the community-based services that used to be common in Redfern.

Building Description

18 George Street is a three-storey house with an attic. It is built in the Victorian Filigree style and was constructed in 1874. It has large rooms on the ground floor and big bedrooms upstairs.

The outside walls are made of brick with sandstone lintels (stone supports above windows). The main roof and the verandah roof are covered with textured metal tiles. The roof over the back part of the house has terracotta tiles. There are two simple arched windows facing the street and one facing the back. The verandah has decorative wrought iron lace, and the front fence has iron pickets on a stone base. The front ground floor verandah is paved with large sandstone slabs. The garden area in front has been paved with concrete. The windows are arched with traditional Victorian decorations.

Inside, the ground floor hall and back service rooms have tiles. The rest of the building is carpeted. The front hall has a special mural (a large painting on a wall) that shows the building's use as Aboriginal Children's Services. There's also a split door with a counter shelf under the mural, which might have been used for the children's services. The two front rooms on the ground floor are mostly original, with ornate ceilings, windows, and fireplaces. The main rooms on the first floor and the front verandah are also well-preserved. The staircase is original, with its decorative details. The attic has new walls and windows.

At the back, there's a steel garage, and the area next to the back part of the house has been enclosed.

Building Condition

The Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services building is in very good condition and still looks much like it did. The condition of the historical archives inside is not fully known.

Heritage Importance

As of November 2014, the Redfern Aboriginal Children's Service & Archives is very important to the history of New South Wales. It helped change government rules about how Aboriginal children were cared for. It also influenced the "kinship care" policy for all children, not just Indigenous ones.

This place shows how traditional Aboriginal ways of caring for each other were used in a city setting. Along with the Redfern Aboriginal Legal Service, the Aboriginal Housing Company, and the Aboriginal Medical Service, the Redfern ACS was one of the most important Aboriginal groups in the 1970s. These groups led a movement for Aboriginal people to have more control over their own lives.

The Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services at 18 George Street is now a rare example of Aboriginal service providers. Many other services have moved away as Redfern has become more developed and expensive.

Why This Place is Special

It shows how history unfolded: Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services helped change government policy on caring for Aboriginal children. It also influenced the "kinship care" policy, which prioritizes placing children with family members. For Aboriginal children, it emphasized finding carers who understood their culture, which was not common before ACS. The service shows the "revolution" in Aboriginal self-determination that happened in Redfern in the 1970s. It proves how the Aboriginal community successfully fought to care for their own people and manage their own affairs.
It's linked to important people: The creation and running of Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services are connected to several influential Aboriginal women. Their activism led to important social changes. These women include Isabel Coe, Ann Weldon, Colleen Shirley Perry (Mum Shirl), Jenny Munro, Vilma Ryan, and Sylvia Scott.
It has unique design: 18 George Street is a multi-level house that shows the Victorian Filigree architectural style. It reflects the dreams of a solicitor in 1874. Parts of the inside, like the mural in the entrance hall, show its use by the Aboriginal Children's Services.
It's important to the community: The Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services has strong social meaning for the Aboriginal community in Redfern, Sydney, and NSW. It is a symbol of a safe place for Aboriginal children who were placed in care with their kinship ties considered. Many children who passed through ACS likely have strong memories of the service. The service shows how traditional Aboriginal ways of caring for each other were used in a city. It has always played a charitable role, offering services like free food delivery and playgroups. For past and present workers, the place also has spiritual meaning, as they believe the spirits of ancestors and past board members still inhabit and care for the place.
It holds valuable information: There are many historical records about the Redfern Aboriginal Children's Service kept at the site. These records could provide important information about the organization. They also contain details about each child who was fostered through the service. These archives are very important because no full history of the service has been written yet. Also, adults who were fostered through the service might want to see these records to connect with their families.
It's a rare example: Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services was a key service from which others grew. It is a rare surviving symbol of this important organization. It is also a rare example of the many pioneering organizations for Aboriginal well-being that were once based in Redfern but have now moved due to the suburb's changes.
It shows key characteristics of similar places: Redfern Aboriginal Children's Services is an early example of children's services specifically for placing Aboriginal children. It is a great example of fighting against the policy of removing Aboriginal children from their families and successfully making kinship ties an important part of child placements. The building at 18 George Street is an excellent example of a building adapted for use by Aboriginal Children's Services.