VPRS 17880 Ward Term Expiry Books (also known as Ward Birthday Books)

This series was created to identify children whose terms of wardship were due to expire in each month during the period from January 1911 to 2004.The volumes were known as [ward] term expiry books but were often referred to as [ward] birthday books.It appears this series was used to project the expiry date for every ward up to the end of June 1961. However, between July 1961 and 1978 it appears these books record the expiry dates only for those wards managed by the Family Welfare Division of the Social Welfare Branch/Department. This Division only handled wards who were aged up to 14 years of age.Each page in these volumes records the children whose terms were to expire in a given month and year. It would appear that the form of compilation was simply to group children whose birthdays occurred in the same month and year and to project their term expiry 18 years into the future, irrespective of the actual term of wardship they had received. The original purpose for the creation of these books is subject to further research.It is unclear when the practice of creating these records began, but judging from the method of compilation, it has been assumed that the first entries were compiled no earlier than 1893 and the last entry no later than 1985. (These years represent 18 years before 1911 and 2004.)The volumes were known as [ward] term expiry books but were often referred to as [ward] birthday books.The entry for each child records the their:- ward number- name- religion, and- date of birth.A remarks column was usually used to indicate what happened to the child. In many instances it records subsequent events (and in some cases, dates) such as the extension of the term, adoption (but only from 1929), death or activity occurring before the expiry of the term including such as a transfer to service. The term "finally" in this column appears to identify children whose terms expired and were released from wardship.