VPRS 18195 Register of Applications, Section 20 (Admissions of Children to the Care of the Department)

This series consists of volumes detailing applications for children to be admitted to the care of the Department under Section 20 of the Children's Welfare Act 1958, No. 6219. The volumes were maintained by the Children's Welfare Department (VA 1467), Social Welfare Branch, Chief Secretary's Department (VA 2784) and Social Welfare Department (VA 946).Parents or guardians who were unable to sufficiently support their child could submit an application to the Department under Section 20 of the Act requesting that their child become a ward of the state. As the Act states,"Where any child is without sufficient means of support and no available legal proceedings can be taken to obtain sufficient means of support for such child, any parent guardian or person having the care and custody of the child may apply in the prescribed form to the Director that the child be admitted to the care of the Children's Welfare Department" (p. 489).Section 20 of the Act also outlined that in certain cases, a magistrate may be appointed to conduct further investigation into the application for the Department.The Register of Applications records the following information:- Sequential Number (of undetermined use - only used in first register)- Date of Application- Date Application received- Name and Address of Applicant- Name of Child- Date of Birth- Religion- Date seen by Magistrate- Date Returned and Recommendations (Recommended / Not recommended)- Date Sent to Chief Secretary- Date Returned and Decision (Approved / Withdrawn)- Remarks (usually records placement details).The first volume includes an alphabetical surname index in the front.The relationship of this series with VPRS 10057 p units 1 and 2 is subject to further research.