Our next meeting will be held on 6th October 2012.
It will be hed at Seaview Hotel at Sandgate.
Starting at; 11 45am onwards.
Please ring Trish for more details. Mob;0417 077 159
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Letter from Diocese of Brisbane
120831 Pastoral Letter - Diocese of Brisbane ... - Gold Coast North
www.goldcoastnorth.org.au/.../120831%20Pastoral%20Letter%20-
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View31 Aug 2012 – those who resisted the expectation to have their babies adopted were ... occurred at St Mary's Home at Toowong and the Church of England ...
New South Wales apology 20/9/2012.From Parliament
These are the links from Parliament of New south Wales.
September 20, 2012
19 September 2012
The Salvation Army Apologises to People Affected by Forced Adoption
The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory (NSW, Qld & ACT) would like to offer its most
sincere apology to the many mothers, fathers, and babies who are now adults, for the role we played in the policy of forced adoptions in the past and the continuing impact this policy may have had on the lives of those affected.
We are aware forced adoption practices did occur previously, in homes and hospitals operated by The Salvation Army in NSW and Qld, to mothers and babies in our care during this period and we are sensitive to the huge impact on many lives that societal and organisational policies and practices in adoption have had.
The Salvation Army will continue to work with mothers, children and the federal and state governments as we seek to resolve the long term consequences of Australia’s former adoption policies.
The Salvation Army has been working with adoption support groups and individuals to address issues relating to these policies and practices with the aim of bringing closure and healing for what has been a traumatic life experience.
The Salvation Army also offers, and has offered for some time, a Family Tracing Service. This service is available to individuals who were adopted or relinquished a child for adoption, in NSW (Special Search Services), in Queensland (Post Adoption Services) and the Australian Capital Territory.
The Salvation Army encourages any individuals who wish to discuss their experience to contact
us on the following numbers:
Please call 1300 136 501 or email: pso@aue.salvationarmy.org (NSW, QLD & ACT). People in
other areas of Australia please call (03) 8878 4765.
ENDS
Media contact:
The Salvation Army Media Office, (02) 9266 9820 (diverts after hours)
Communications and Public Relations Department
140 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000 (PO Box A229, Sydney South NSW 1232)
T 02 9266 9820 F 02 9266 9600
salvos.org.au
The Salvation Army Apologises to People Affected by Forced Adoption
The Salvation Army Australia Eastern Territory (NSW, Qld & ACT) would like to offer its most
sincere apology to the many mothers, fathers, and babies who are now adults, for the role we played in the policy of forced adoptions in the past and the continuing impact this policy may have had on the lives of those affected.
We are aware forced adoption practices did occur previously, in homes and hospitals operated by The Salvation Army in NSW and Qld, to mothers and babies in our care during this period and we are sensitive to the huge impact on many lives that societal and organisational policies and practices in adoption have had.
The Salvation Army will continue to work with mothers, children and the federal and state governments as we seek to resolve the long term consequences of Australia’s former adoption policies.
The Salvation Army has been working with adoption support groups and individuals to address issues relating to these policies and practices with the aim of bringing closure and healing for what has been a traumatic life experience.
The Salvation Army also offers, and has offered for some time, a Family Tracing Service. This service is available to individuals who were adopted or relinquished a child for adoption, in NSW (Special Search Services), in Queensland (Post Adoption Services) and the Australian Capital Territory.
The Salvation Army encourages any individuals who wish to discuss their experience to contact
us on the following numbers:
Please call 1300 136 501 or email: pso@aue.salvationarmy.org (NSW, QLD & ACT). People in
other areas of Australia please call (03) 8878 4765.
ENDS
Media contact:
The Salvation Army Media Office, (02) 9266 9820 (diverts after hours)
Communications and Public Relations Department
140 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000 (PO Box A229, Sydney South NSW 1232)
T 02 9266 9820 F 02 9266 9600
salvos.org.au
Salvation ArmyAustralia eastern Territory Apology to people affected by Forced Adoption.
I have just received a call from the President of ALAS - Trish Large - regarding another historical apology.
A week ago I congratulated the mothers of ALAS for their achievement of gaining an apology from the Anglican Church. After several years of hard work they have achieved yet another apology - this time from the Salvation Army. No small feat. The apology will be put up on the Salvation Army National Website to ALAS - possibly tomorrow -
ALAS called for a national apology on behalf of mothers across Australia - for the Salvos to apologise for their involvement in the brutal separation of mothers from their newborns.
What an inspirational and historic achievement - the Salvation Army being a world wide organisation - it is expected their apology will receive world wide attention. ALAS is a member organisation of the Alliance and we are so proud of their achievements and it is a great honour to have them as part of our umbrella organisation of independent groups across Australia working together to achieve recognition and validations via apologies from all those involved in the forced removals or our infants for the purpose of adoption.
kind regards
Chris Cole
Convenor
Apology Alliance Australia
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Have your say!
The Queensland Government will soon make a statement of apology in parliament to those affected by past forced adoption practices.
These forced adoption practices had long-term impacts for many mothers, fathers, children and extended families.
While the past cannot be changed, the Queensland Government hopes that an apology will help ease some of the pain felt by people affected by past practices and help facilitate the healing process.
Have your say
The Queensland Government wants to hear from all interested individuals and organisations about how the apology should be framed.
Comments and suggestions will be received up until close of business on Thursday 11 October 2012.
It would be greatly appreciated if you could also forward this email to other interested people.
Comments can be submitted:
Online
Mail: Adoption Apology
GPO Box 806
BRISBANE QLD 4001
Phone: 1800 647 983 to have your comments noted
(free call within Queensland)
All feedback will be treated as private and confidential. Feedback can be lodged anonymously.
More information
See our website for more information about the government’s apology for past forced adoptions, including the background to the apology and frequently asked questions.
NSW Government Will Issue Apology
Minister for Family and Community Services Pru Goward, announced NSW Government will issue an official apology for past forced adoption practices on Thursday 20th September at 10 30 am in Legislative Assembly of NSW Parliament.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Our next meeting 15th September 2012
Our next meeting will be a southside meeting.
It will be held at the East Leagues Club.
40 Main Ave. Cooparoo.
12 O 'clock onwards.
Contact Trish;0417 077 159 for more details.
It will be held at the East Leagues Club.
40 Main Ave. Cooparoo.
12 O 'clock onwards.
Contact Trish;0417 077 159 for more details.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Child Protection Inquiry.
> Dear Member Agencies and Supporters
>
> Professor Clare Tilbury has requested that PeakCare distribute the following statement prepared by her in response to an article that appeared in the Courier Mail on Wednesday 29th July 2012.
>
> “I am very concerned about yesterday's article in the Courier Mail reporting on the evidence I gave at the Child Protection Inquiry. The headline and part of the article indicates that I support forced adoption. I certainly do not support forced adoption, and I did not make any such statement. The article misrepresents my views and I consider it damaging to my professional reputation. I have requested that the paper publish a correction.”
>
> It would be greatly appreciated if Professor Tilbury’s statement could be widely distributed throughout your organisation and networks.
>
>
> Professor Clare Tilbury has requested that PeakCare distribute the following statement prepared by her in response to an article that appeared in the Courier Mail on Wednesday 29th July 2012.
>
> “I am very concerned about yesterday's article in the Courier Mail reporting on the evidence I gave at the Child Protection Inquiry. The headline and part of the article indicates that I support forced adoption. I certainly do not support forced adoption, and I did not make any such statement. The article misrepresents my views and I consider it damaging to my professional reputation. I have requested that the paper publish a correction.”
>
> It would be greatly appreciated if Professor Tilbury’s statement could be widely distributed throughout your organisation and networks.
>
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
New South Wales Apology.
9 NEWS
Forced adoption victims to hear 'sorry' - NSW
15:51 AEST Tue Sep 4 201
Mothers who had their children taken from them under forced adoption policies are being encouraged to attend NSW parliament later this month to hear an official apology.
Premier Barry O'Farrell flagged the government's intention to apologise in August and his Family and Community Services Minister Pru Goward announced on Tuesday that the government would say sorry in both Houses of Parliament on September 20.
Ms Goward urged mothers, fathers and people who were victims of forced adoption as children to attend parliament and begin the "healing journey".
"We want as many people as possible who continue to feel pain and distress as a result of past adoption practices to witness the apology," Ms Goward said in a statement.
"While it won't undo the wrongs of the past, an apology will offer an acknowledgement of the role of NSW governments in practices that we now recognise as wrong."
Anyone wanting to attend should register their interest by telephoning 1800 003 227 or visiting www.facs.nsw.gov.au.
Register your interest to attend formal apology for forced adoption practices
The NSW Government will make a formal apology for forced adoption practices which occurred
in New South Wales.
in New South Wales.
The report of the Senate Community Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Commonwealth contribution to former adoption policies and practices highlighted the devastating impact of forced adoption practices on many young women and their babies in earlier decades. Adoption in NSW has changed radically since the early 1970s, but this does not lessen the pain for those who were not given the care and support they deserved.
The apology will take place at
Parliament House, located in Macquarie Street, Sydney on Thursday 20 September 2012 at 10.30am.
It will be offered to the mothers, those who were adopted as children, fathers and the families in New South Wales who suffered from the harmful practices of the past.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/forced-adoption-victims-to-hear-sorry/story-fn3dxiwe-1226464853524
The apology will take place at
Parliament House, located in Macquarie Street, Sydney on Thursday 20 September 2012 at 10.30am.
It will be offered to the mothers, those who were adopted as children, fathers and the families in New South Wales who suffered from the harmful practices of the past.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/forced-adoption-victims-to-hear-sorry/story-fn3dxiwe-1226464853524
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Child Protection commission of Inquiry
Case examples to illustrate issues presented in submissions to the Child
Protection Commission of Inquiry
Dear Member Agencies and Supporters
For those of you who have been able to watch live streaming of the public hearings
of the Child Protection Commission of Inquiry or read transcripts of the hearings,
you will have realised the importance of being able to substantiate and illustrate
issues that are being raised by witnesses.
It will be similarly important to provide information that can substantiate and
illustrate matters addressed with written submissions to the Inquiry.
To this end, PeakCare has invited our Member Agencies and Supporters to submit ‘case
examples’ that demonstrate aspects of the child protection system that are
problematic as well as those that are working well. The intention in collecting
these case examples is to make use of them to explore and support arguments that
will feature within PeakCare’s submissions to the Inquiry as well as inform the
discussions of the Commissioner’s Advisory Group of which I am a member.
Throughout the course of the Inquiry, PeakCare will be attempting to faithfully and
accurately represent issues of concern held by our Member Agencies and Supporters.
Our capacity to do so well however will be enormously influenced by the amount and
quality of the information you are prepared and able to provide to us.
Anecdotal reports and discussions with PeakCare staff will not cut it!
As previously advised, PeakCare has made available a proforma for documenting
de-identified case examples. This proforma appears in both ‘electronic’ and ‘word’
formats within the Members Only section of our web-site. The ‘word version’ is also
attached to this email.
To date, only a small number of documented case examples have been received. Thank
you to those organisations that have already submitted their case examples to us.
I am aware that within some organisations, focus groups and similar exercises are
being undertaken to collect and document case examples. This seems to be a very
useful approach in ensuring that a wide cross-section of staff members, carers,
children, parents and others are able to add their voices to the issues being
addressed by the Inquiry. We very much look forward to receiving the products of
these exercises.
It is appreciated that, within your own organisations, you may be making use of case
examples to support your own submissions to the Inquiry. Whilst this will be
useful, it is suggested that the supply of case examples to PeakCare will assist in
the presentation of sector-wide viewpoints and opinions that can, in a powerful way,
complement and reinforce the arguments put forward by individual organisations. As
your peak body, PeakCare is well placed to promote issues that are of sector-wide
importance, but we need your help to do so.
You are urged therefore to take advantage of the opportunity being provided to allow
your case examples to both inform and illustrate PeakCare’s submission to the
Inquiry. Please forward your documented case examples to
groberts@peakcare.org.au<mailto:groberts@peakcare.org.au> as soon as you are able.
Yours sincerely
Gary Roberts
Office Manager
For and on behalf of
Lindsay Wegener
Executive Director
P: 07 3368 1050
F: 07 3368 1160
17 Ross Street (PO Box 159)
Paddington QLD 4064
www.peakcare.org.au<http://www.peakcare.org.au/> [Description: Description: FB
Icon] <http://www.facebook.com/pages/PeakCare-Queensland/149364168418483>
[Description: Description: Blog Icon] <http://peakcare.wordpress.com/>
[Description: cid:image009.png@01CD2F84.3AA9AF80]
We are committed to reconciliation through listening to, acknowledging, respecting,
understanding, consulting and partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
stakeholders, to build and maintain strong families and communities
Protection Commission of Inquiry
Dear Member Agencies and Supporters
For those of you who have been able to watch live streaming of the public hearings
of the Child Protection Commission of Inquiry or read transcripts of the hearings,
you will have realised the importance of being able to substantiate and illustrate
issues that are being raised by witnesses.
It will be similarly important to provide information that can substantiate and
illustrate matters addressed with written submissions to the Inquiry.
To this end, PeakCare has invited our Member Agencies and Supporters to submit ‘case
examples’ that demonstrate aspects of the child protection system that are
problematic as well as those that are working well. The intention in collecting
these case examples is to make use of them to explore and support arguments that
will feature within PeakCare’s submissions to the Inquiry as well as inform the
discussions of the Commissioner’s Advisory Group of which I am a member.
Throughout the course of the Inquiry, PeakCare will be attempting to faithfully and
accurately represent issues of concern held by our Member Agencies and Supporters.
Our capacity to do so well however will be enormously influenced by the amount and
quality of the information you are prepared and able to provide to us.
Anecdotal reports and discussions with PeakCare staff will not cut it!
As previously advised, PeakCare has made available a proforma for documenting
de-identified case examples. This proforma appears in both ‘electronic’ and ‘word’
formats within the Members Only section of our web-site. The ‘word version’ is also
attached to this email.
To date, only a small number of documented case examples have been received. Thank
you to those organisations that have already submitted their case examples to us.
I am aware that within some organisations, focus groups and similar exercises are
being undertaken to collect and document case examples. This seems to be a very
useful approach in ensuring that a wide cross-section of staff members, carers,
children, parents and others are able to add their voices to the issues being
addressed by the Inquiry. We very much look forward to receiving the products of
these exercises.
It is appreciated that, within your own organisations, you may be making use of case
examples to support your own submissions to the Inquiry. Whilst this will be
useful, it is suggested that the supply of case examples to PeakCare will assist in
the presentation of sector-wide viewpoints and opinions that can, in a powerful way,
complement and reinforce the arguments put forward by individual organisations. As
your peak body, PeakCare is well placed to promote issues that are of sector-wide
importance, but we need your help to do so.
You are urged therefore to take advantage of the opportunity being provided to allow
your case examples to both inform and illustrate PeakCare’s submission to the
Inquiry. Please forward your documented case examples to
groberts@peakcare.org.au<mailto:groberts@peakcare.org.au> as soon as you are able.
Yours sincerely
Gary Roberts
Office Manager
For and on behalf of
Lindsay Wegener
Executive Director
P: 07 3368 1050
F: 07 3368 1160
17 Ross Street (PO Box 159)
Paddington QLD 4064
www.peakcare.org.au<http://www.peakcare.org.au/> [Description: Description: FB
Icon] <http://www.facebook.com/pages/PeakCare-Queensland/149364168418483>
[Description: Description: Blog Icon] <http://peakcare.wordpress.com/>
[Description: cid:image009.png@01CD2F84.3AA9AF80]
We are committed to reconciliation through listening to, acknowledging, respecting,
understanding, consulting and partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
stakeholders, to build and maintain strong families and communities
The Most Rev. Dr. Phillip Aspinall's Apology for forced Adoption
Anglican Diocese of Brisbane
Apology to survivors of historic forced adoption practices and policies
The Senate inquiry into the ‘Commonwealth Contribution to Former Forced
Adoption Policies and Practices’ gathered many accounts of mothers, babies, now
adults, and other family members who courageously described their experiences of
forced adoption. Some of these involved Anglican homes and agencies.
The Anglican Diocese of Brisbane sincerely apologises to the mothers, fathers and
babies, now adults, who have experienced hurt, distress and harm as a result of past
forced adoption practices in homes which operated in the name of the Church. We
are aware that these practices occurred at St Mary’s Home at Toowong and the
Church of England Women’s Refuge in Spring Hill.
The inquiry heard that mothers’ consent to have their babies taken for adoption was
often coerced and, in some cases, was not obtained at all. Often fathers were
excluded completely from this process. It heard that mothers were denied access to
information about their babies, including birth records and information about their
child’s survival or well-being. Those adopted babies have often not had access to
accurate records of their birth and parentage.
With deep sadness and regret, this Diocese acknowledges that mothers suffered
emotional trauma and abuse in these adoption processes. We apologise that they
were subjected to shame, isolation and humiliation while in the care of homes
operated by the Anglican Church. The Church acknowledges that the resulting grief
and loss for both parents and children is ongoing and significant.
We deeply regret that they were not always provided the care, information,
protection and support which these mothers, fathers and children should have
received. We apologise for those failings.
We now constantly review our practices to extend the best possible care and
protection to all whom we serve. We continue to assist those who suffered harm
while in our care in the past. We encourage and support families to thrive and
flourish together.
The Church is committed to providing appropriate assistance, counselling and
support to those who have suffered as a result of its involvement in past forced
adoptions.
Those affected by forced adoptions are encouraged to contact the Brisbane
Diocese’s Director of Professional Standards, Ms Sheleagh White, by phoning
38352266 or emailing SHWhite@anglicanbrisbane.org.au
Dated: 31 August 2012
Saturday, September 1, 2012
With the Apology from Archbishop Aspinall the Protest March has been Cancelled
Our thanks to all who were willing to join our protest march for an apology.
We have put the apology on our blog. ALAS and it's members are delighted with this apology and the wording used. It showed sensitivity to our adoption experiences.
Our thanks to the current and past Directors of Professional Standards for listening to our plight over the past 3 years resulting with this apology.
We have put the apology on our blog. ALAS and it's members are delighted with this apology and the wording used. It showed sensitivity to our adoption experiences.
Our thanks to the current and past Directors of Professional Standards for listening to our plight over the past 3 years resulting with this apology.
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