Accessing your care records
If you lived in out-of-home care as a child or young person you can request a copy of records about your care history. This page tells you how to apply for your records, what to expect when you apply, and how to access support.
Accessing support
Care leavers can find that accessing their records brings up emotions, these feelings can be positive or can sometimes be upsetting or overwhelming. We recommend that you have someone to support you through the process.
Support with applying for and reading your records for everyone
Community Service Centres
If you live in NSW, a caseworker can be made available to help you to read your records or to answer questions and provide support if you choose to read your records at a Community Services Centre. Aboriginal care leavers may request the support of an Aboriginal staff member or support service when accessing information and this will be provided wherever possible.
You can find a list of Community Services Centres at
https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/csc.html
Find and Connect
The Australian Government funds the national Find and Connect services. Find and Connect has offices in all States and Territories, and can help you to apply for your records and access support in your local area.
Find and Connect Support Services provide specialist trauma informed counselling, referral services, peer, education and social support programs, assistance to locate and access records and reconnect with family members (where possible) for people who were placed in out-of-home care in Australia.
The Find and Connect Web Resource is a resource for people who were placed in out-of-home care in Australia and anyone interested in the history of child welfare in Australia. It brings together historical resources relating to institutional ‘care’ in Australia. It contains information and images of children’s homes, help to find records about a person’s childhood in ‘care’, and information about support groups and services.
Phone: 1800 16 11 09 (from anywhere in Australia)
Website: www.findandconnect.gov.au
Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN)
CLAN is a national, not-for-profit advocacy organisation for care leavers of all ages. CLAN provide information, advocacy, telephone support, referrals and assistance with reading files.
Phone: 1800 008 774 (free call)
Email: support@clan.org.au
Website: www.clan.org.au
Support for young care leavers
It may be helpful to receive support from people you already know and have worked with. This may include a Community Service Centre, another agency that supported you while you were in care or a service that is currently supporting you. You can also contact one of the following support services for assistance.
Aftercare Resource Centre (The ARC)
The ARC is a service for young people aged between 15 and 25 years old who have been in out-of-home care in NSW. They can provide therapeutic reading of your records as well as help with your application.
Phone: 1800 656 884 (free call)
Email: arc@ransw.org.au
Website: https://www.relationshipsnsw.org.au/support-services/aftercareresourcecentre/
Aboriginal Aftercare State Wide Service
Leaving care and aftercare support for Aboriginal children and young people aged 15-25 years who have been in out-of-home care.
Phone: 1300 339 016
Email: westernintake@uniting.org or Ask@uniting.org
CatholicCare After Care Program
Aftercare support for 18 to 26-year-olds who have been in out-of-home care at some stage in their lives. Available in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, the Upper Hunter and Manning areas.
Phone: 02 4979 1120
Email: aftercare@catholiccare.org.au
Family Spirit Aftercare
Leaving Care and After Care support to young people 15-25, who have been in out-of-home-care, residing within the South-Eastern Sydney region.
Phone: 02 8709 9333
Email: intake@familyspirit.org
Website: www.familyspirit.org
Uniting ACE Aftercare
Aftercare support for children and young people 15-25 years who have been in out-of-home care.
Phone (general): 1800 864 846 (free call)
Phone (Illawarra and Shoalhaven): 02 4220 1127
Phone (Mid North Coast): 02 6581 6600
Phone (South Western Sydney): 02 4629 5101
Email: ACEAfterCare@uniting.org
More information for young care leavers (15-25 years old) can be found on the ChildStory YOU website at https://you.childstory.nsw.gov.au/look-after-you/your-story.
Support for care leavers over the age of 25 years
Wattle Place - NSW Support Service
Wattle Place provides counselling and a range of other support for people who are over the age of 25 and were in out-of-home care in NSW between the 1920s and 1990s, regardless of where they now live. Wattle Place can provide advice and support on accessing records about your time in out-of-home care.
Phone: 1800 663 884 (free call)
Website: www.relationshipsnsw.org.au/support-services/wattle-place
Additional support services and resources
Aboriginal Affairs Family Records Unit
Aboriginal Affairs operates the Family Records Service (FRS) to help Aboriginal people in New South Wales to access records pertaining to themselves, or their ancestors, that are held in the archive collection of the former Aborigines Welfare Board (formerly known as the Aborigines Protection Board) and the Chief Secretary records relating to Aboriginal affairs. The records span the period from 1890 to 1969.
Phone: 1800 019 998
Email: familyhistory@aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au
Link-Up (NSW) Aboriginal Corporation
Link-Up NSW works with Aboriginal people over the age of 18 who were separated from their families when they were children. Services provided by Link-Up NSW include reunification and counselling.
Phone: 1800 624 332
Email: linkup@nsw.link-up.org.au
Website: www.linkupnsw.org.au
National Redress Scheme
The National Redress Scheme helps people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse gain access to counselling and psychological services, a direct personal response, and a monetary payment. Applications can be made from 1 July 2018 until 30 June 2027.
Website: www.nationalredress.gov.au
NSW Special Search Service
The NSW Special Search Service provides free specialised national and international search and reunion services to people who were separated by government intervention in NSW, for example through adoption, being under the care of the Minister, foster care, or being placed in a children’s home in NSW. It is provided by qualified professional Social Workers experienced in delivering discreet and supportive tracing and reunification services.
Phone: 1300 657 843 (cost of a local call) or (02) 9267 0300
Email: sss@iss.org.au
Website: www.iss.org.au/our-services/nsw-special-search-service
Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme and Funeral Fund
The Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme provides ex-gratia payments to living Stolen Generations survivors who were removed from their families and committed to the care of the NSW Aborigines Protection or Welfare Boards. The payments are made in recognition of the harm that these removals caused. There is also a fund to assist with funeral payments. The closing date for applications will be 30 June 2022.
Website: www.aboriginalaffairs.nsw.gov.au/healing-and-reparations/stolen-generations/reparations-scheme
If you need support right now
The following services are available 24/7 from anywhere in Australia
Triple Zero – 000
Emergency Services including police and ambulance.
Lifeline - 13 11 14
Confidential crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Beyondblue - 1300 224 636
Counselling for mental wellbeing, anxiety, depression and suicide prevention.
1800RESPECT - 1800 737 732
Confidential information, counselling and support service for people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence.
MensLine Australia - 1300 787 978
Counselling service for men with family and relationship concerns.
Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467
Professional counselling for people who are affected by suicide.