SECTION 2
Routes to reunions Many
former Child Migrants present with complex personal difficulties
stemming from their migration experience. While the majority approach
the Trust to trace their families in Britain, it soon becomes
apparent that their search is accompanied by a need to find ways
of managing emotional stress fuelled by powerful feelings of loss
and deprivation. Many urgently need to ventilate their feelings
of emotional pain or to disclose episodes of sexual and physical
abuse. Their migration experiences often produced a fragmented
sense of identity and some have acute difficulties in maintaining
close marital and parental relationships. They may also fear rejection
and lack sufficient confidence to trust others as they expect
to be betrayed or exploited again. Child migration was traumatic
for young children. It shattered personal integration at a critical
stage in their fragile development. This separation from their
families and friends at a crucial time has left many emotionally
defenceless and unable to withstand any further traumatic events.Skilled
help is essential to tackle these issues and thus create more
favourable emotional foundations for a successful reunion if and
when relatives are found. The management of these complex tasks
and the reunion of those separated by many decades in a distant
culture, requires a specialised, professional service.
Flaws and faults Much of
the Trust's work is based on an objective and independent analysis
of the flaws and faults in the various migration schemes, and
the remedies required to compensate for them. This approach is
refined by feedback from the Trust's client advisory groups about
the type of services required. For example, little attention was
paid to the personal identity and information needs of child migrants
as evidenced by the failure to provide full birth certificates.
There was also a lack of a full and appropriate exchange of information
between agencies in Britain and institutions overseas concerning
the needs, family backgrounds and circumstances of particular
children. Similarly, there seems to have been an assumption that
child migrants would rarely require any services or aftercare
facilities as adults. Hence, citizenship issues were neglected
and there was almost a total failure to predict that, as adults,
this group of individuals would demand not only personal and background
information about themselves but also the opportunity to meet
their families in Britain.
Impartial and independent The
primary benefits of the Trust's work for former Child Migrants
flow from the Trust's neutral and independent position. This has
provided an essential framework for the development of specialist
skills and expertise over the past 10 years. No other agency shares
the Trust's specific focus and mission in working only on child
migration issues with an emphasis on providing services to all
former British Child Migrants, regardless of religion, nationality
or migrating agency.The key features of the Trust's approach,
especially its neutrality and specialist, professional nature,
apply also in Britain to its work with the families of former
Child Migrants. It must be remembered that when former Child Migrants
in Australia, for example, engage the services of the Trust to
find their families, they are making a significant personal choice
not only for themselves but also for any relatives who may be
found. Unfortunately, a few migrating agencies in the past led
some parents to believe their children had been adopted or fostered
by families, usually in Britain but occasionally abroad. This
obviously creates major difficulties if the truth of the matter
is that the child was sent to an institution in Australia. In
a few cases, parents were even told that their infant had died
and they have accepted this false explanation by the agency concerned.One
former Child Migrant pleaded with the Trust to make contact with
his mother who had already rejected recent approaches by the migrating
agency. This mother did not feel able to cope with the memories
evoked by contact with an agency inextricably linked with a particularly
difficult period in her life when financial pressures prevented
her from maintaining regular payments to that agency. However,
she felt less guilty and agitated by these issues when relating
to a worker from the Trust. She has now been successfully reunited
with her son who has travelled three times from Australia to spend
his holiday periods with her.In other cases, the unmarried father
of a child has been a senior member of the Church. This was seen
as an extra incentive to consider emigration for a particular
child. Clearly, such a situation would pose serious dilemmas for
those staff employed by religious agencies. Their duty to provide
their clients with a full, factual explanation for their migration
may conflict with their loyalty to their employers and thus compromise
the healing process.
Codes of conduct In Australia,
the Trust has encountered some tensions in its relationships with
certain agencies which do not subscribe to or appreciate the demands
imposed by a professional code of ethics. For example, the Trust
will not divulge any casework or client information without the
client's consent. This refusal to disclose information to unauthorised
third parties has been interpreted as "unhelpful" rather
than the response of a professional social work organisation.
Similarly, lawyers acting for the Christian Brothers in Western
Australia being sued by former Child Migrants, issued a subpoena
ordering the Trust's staff to produce confidential casework material.
As a professional body, the Trust had no option but to resist
this tactic and employ a barrister to argue its case in court.
The surrender of files would have breached professional ethics
and inevitably undermined our clients' confidence in the integrity
of the Trust's work. Sadly, a significant sum from the Trust's
limited funds had to be diverted to pay the legal costs of defending
its professional credibility. These costs were not reimbursed
when the settlement was finalised.
This lack of appreciation for a code of ethics also applies to
secular migrating agencies, especially those who do not employ
any professionally qualified social work staff. Some of these
agencies fail to recognise the significance and impact of sensitive,
personal information on clients. For example, one middle-aged
former Child Migrant wrote to the Trust during 1989 after receiving
her agency file in the post:"I am devastated by the information
contained and finding it difficult to come to terms with the terrible
treatment meted out to my mother and then to myself... I got these
documents in July last year and the whole mess is breaking my
heart—please help as I don't know where to turn. To add
insult to injury quote 'We hope you will find this interesting
rather than upsetting" was written by (agency staff) in July
1988. I am not that strong.'An anonomised copy of this letter
is reproduced in Section 3.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder A
significant number of former Child Migrants remain profoundly
affected by their past experiences. Many display symptoms of Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder, including sleep disorders, and flashbacks
of traumatic events such as episodes of childhood abuse either
as witnesses or victims. Their condition may not diminish with
time and can often be reactivated by small, seemingly inconsequential
stimuli such as a raised voice or a sudden noise. The symptoms
of this condition, which may include emotional volatility or even
rage, can often intrude into normal daily routines, having a devastating
impact upon personal relationships or even the ability to hold
down a job.Clients with these symptoms need to be helped in a
safe, neutral setting where their past experiences can be understood
and contained. These issues are becoming more widely understood
as a result of work with hostages, survivors of disasters and
soldiers suffering from shell shock. Where former Child Migrants
have experienced significant abuse, whether emotional, physical
or sexual, while in the care of the migrating agencies, it is
a highly questionable assumption than such agencies can provide
a truly therapeutic service for this group of clients.
Independence and neutrality As
a neutral agency, the Trust is particularly well placed to offer
a service to former Child Migrants, untainted as it is by any
involvement in the schemes or their associated scandals. Consequently,
the Trust can focus firmly on the needs of its clients, many of
whom still struggle to free themselves from the chains of stigma
and confusion imposed by their childhood experiences. Unlike the
migrating agencies, the Trust does not have to justify itself
in the face of appalling disclosures of abuse by referring to
the "standards of the day" or the "good intentions"
behind the schemes. Unfortunately, the fear of legal action casts
a shadow over certain agencies and militates against trusting,
open relationships between their staff and clients.For many hundreds
of Child Migrants sent to New Zealand or Zimbabwe, no records
are available and no aftercare services were provided. The agencies
involved in their migration ceased to exist when the schemes ended.
Only the Child Migrants Trust offers a comprehensive, integrated
service for this group of people. The Trust provides an international
and professional social work service from three offices. Each
office, whether in England or Australia, operates from the same
ethical base and promotes the same social work values. Many clients
in Australia have been interviewed by professional staff from
the UK office to ensure that a co-ordinated service is provided,
especially for those who seek a reunion with their families in
Britain. The Trust's services are viewed as an integrated portfolio
designed around the specific needs of this unique client group. The
Trust only employs professionally qualified social workers with
at least several years post-qualified experience to deliver its
counselling services. The Trust's staff have developed skills
in many key areas of work including loss and mourning; family
reunion issues from the perspective of both former Child Migrants
and their families; and personal identity issues, including the
impact of child migration on later marital and family relationships.
Protocols and procedures Many
former Child Migrants left institutional care with no personal
documentation or perhaps only a short birth certificate. The majority
were not informed that a full, more detailed birth certificate
could be obtained from Britain. Consequently, it is not uncommon
for former Child Migrants to experience difficulties in obtaining
passports, citizenship rights or pensions. Many former Child Migrants
innocently assume that the absence of their parents' names on
a short birth certificate is further proof that they are orphans
rather than a way of disguising their true origins.
One 80 year old former Child Migrant, previously in the care of
two major agencies, was never provided with a birth certificate.
Given his unusual surname, it was not difficult for the Trust's
researcher to obtain a full birth certificate for him. However,
this showed that his assumptions about the spelling of his surname
and his date of birth were both incorrect. He intends to travel
to Britain later this year and needed his birth certificate in
order to obtain a passport.The Trust has established protocols
with most migrating agencies and Government Departments to retrieve
files and documents on behalf of former Child Migrants. Very positive
working relationships have been developed between the staff of
the Trust and the Australian Archives Department. Thus, information
from shipping lists, for example, can be given to former Child
Migrants who need to confirm their date of immigration. There
has been a gradual and welcome improvement in terms of opening
files to former Child Migrants. However, a few agencies maintain
policies and procedures which take little account of the potentially
damaging impact of providing information to former Child Migrants
without the option of counselling facilities being made available.
One client was devastated to discover from her file that her emigration
followed a breakdown in her adoption in Britain.
Citizenship and choice The
Trust has a unique role in Australia regarding citizenship issues
for former Child Migrants. The Trust's advocacy has led to new
regulations so that former Child Migrants sent in the post-war
period no longer have to pay a fee to obtain citizenship. The
Department of Immigration has established a protocol with the
Trust to enable all former Child Migrants to benefit from this
concession. This significant improvement in the position of former
Child Migrants is appreciated especially by those who argue that
neither they nor their parents had any real choice over their
status as immigrants. Many former Child Migrants assumed incorrectly
that having lived in Australia for over 40 years they were Australian
citizens. Others were confused by complex regulations or lacked
the necessary documents to confirm or alter their citizenship
status. The Trust has been active in helping many former Child
Migrants to clarify their status, make informed choices and implement
their decisions on this important issue.
Research and records A
key dimension of the Trust's philosophy is that former Child Migrants
should enjoy equality of opportunity in terms of their knowledge
of both themselves and their family background. Unlike the majority
of the population, who take these issues for granted, many former
Child Migrants have never had a full birth certificate and do
not know where they were born or even whether their parents are
alive or dead. It is clearly essential that former Child Migrants
have access to this type of information as soon as possible. The
Trust regards family research as both pivotal and linked to the
other key components of its comprehensive service. Consequently,
unlike most agencies who do not undertake such work or who sub-contract
it to others, the Trust manages its own family research. The Trust
has developed a wide range of contacts with central and local
government departments in Britain and abroad and expertise and
experience in tracing families using various methods. In addition,
the Trust has microfiche records of births, deaths and marriages
for England and Wales, an extensive archive of telephone records
and access to the Internet. Many enquiries require close and frequent
communication between the Trust's social work staff, both in Britain
and abroad, and the researchers to ensure that vital information
is collected, updated and delivered to clients in a sensitive
manner. While the majority of families are located in Britain,
parents have also been traced after moving to Europe or the United
States of America.
Reunions and family relationships The
dominant need and hope of many former Child Migrants is to meet
a member of their family in Britain. To ensure that reunions serve
the needs of all concerned, many hours of counselling and preparation
are required. At each stage, including the initial family contact
and preliminary exchange of information, all those involved will
need much reassurance and expect to participate in key decisions.Clearly,
returning to their home country can be an overwhelming experience
for those former Child Migrants who will be meeting their families
after a separation of over 40 years. The Trust's clients are usually
met at Heathrow airport, often at six o'clock in the morning,
by social work staff who will spend most of the next few days
preparing them for a much anticipated reunion. Many clients will
need close personal attention from the Trust's staff at this time,
especially those who travel alone either because they are single
or due to financial limitations. This level of support cannot
be restricted to conventional office hours and the Trust has been
fortunate in having dedicated staff who frequently work during
weekends and public holidays when necessary. However, the physical
and emotional demands on the Trust's staff, due to the complexity
of the work and from extensive travelling, should be acknowledged.
The success of such reunions is dependent on many factors, particularly
the need for adequate preparation and support to ensure that mutually
realistic expectations can be negotiated, potential difficulties
avoided and practical problems resolved. Strong, supportive relationships
cannot be built without extensive groundwork and preparation.Frequently,
former Child Migrants can only be reunited with their brothers
or sisters in Britain as their parents have died. Mourning a parent
after decades of separation is a complex and difficult process.
Helping those involved to come to terms with their feelings of
deep disappointment and despair requires much time and skill.
However, the Trust has developed considerable expertise in assisting
adults to grieve the loss of a parent whom they have never known.
Without this help many remain fixated by their loss, unable to
move forward to a position of acceptance or recovery. We have
found that an involvement in some form of ritual, whether by visiting
a parent's grave, attending a memorial service, or simply retracing
the parent's steps from home to the corner shop, often produces
a powerful and healing impact. The need for family photographs
and memorabilia to assist this process is a critical part of this
work. Our work in this area is both innovative and advanced and
could be used to inform social work practice in other fields,
particularly where children have been separated from their families
or country. The Trust has been encouraged by its joint work with
local Catholic priests, who have conducted special Church services
for those mourning a parent in this way.
Needs and numbers Undoubtedly,
meeting relatives and discarding the role of "orphan"
by becoming someone's son or daughter, someone's uncle or aunt,
has produced the most profound and positive changes in both the
outlook and self-image of many of the Trust's clients. Whilst
the Trust has reunited hundreds of former Child Migrants with
their families over the past decade, there is an urgent
and immediate need to increase the number of family researchers.
At present, more elderly parents will die before they can be reunited
with their sons or daughters as a direct result of under-funding.Over
the past decade, the Trust has supported a large number of reunions,
despite its limited resources and comparatively small team of
professional workers. In 1997, 74 former Child Migrants were reunited
with their families. This involved work with more than 400 individual
family members. Reunions were supported in England, Scotland,
Wales, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Australia and
the United States of America.Similarly in 1996, 58 former Child
Migrants were reunited with their families by the Trust. In several
cases, former Child Migrants met with more than six brothers or
sisters, and each reunion required support both before and after
the initial meeting. On occasions, former Child Migrants were
introduced to large groups of relatives, especially in Ireland
where family gatherings were arranged involving cousins, uncles
and aunts.Over the years, many hundreds of former Child Migrants
have met with their families, and others have been supported to
revisit their birthplace or other significant areas connected
with their early childhood years in Britain.
Awareness and anger Before
the Trust was established, many former Child Migrants felt they
were members of a marginalised group, and resigned to poor levels
of access to their files and aftercare services. Time and time
again, our clients have complained that they have been writing
to the agencies for information for decades, and there is clear
evidence that no help was made available. Many requests were either
dismissed or ignored.Public awareness and concern about the plight
of Britain's former Child Migrants has developed gradually over
the past decade, often as a direct result of the work of the Child
Migrants Trust. Occasionally, powerful surges of attention and
interest are created by stories and scandals reported in the media.
Much of this interest stems from the powerful impact of the book
and documentary "Lost Children of the Empire".
This first major attempt by the Trust to raise the public profile
of former Child Migrants in Britain and abroad was followed in
1994 by the publication of "Empty Cradles" which
was launched at the House of Commons.Those working for the Trust
derive a sense of achievement from helping to promote increased
public awareness of the problems faced by former Child Migrants.
The Trust has always tried to focus on the broad issues of child
migration, rather than apportion blame to particular organisations
or agencies.Since 1987, thousands of newspaper articles and scores
of media programmes have featured the work of the Trust and its
clients. As a result of this publicity, many more members of the
public now realise that while some of the intentions of the pioneers
in child migration may have been honourable, the results in human
terms do not stand up to close scrutiny. Cut off from their roots,
denied knowledge of their family backgrounds, shipped halfway
across the world only to be abused in large institutions—this
was not the fresh start that so many disadvantaged children had
been promised. Fortunately, the Australian Government's ambitious
hopes of importing 50,000 children in the first three post-war
years were never realised. However, in too many cases the barriers
of distance and deceit were irrevocably erected between former
Child Migrants and their families.
Benefits and betrayal More
recently, the Western Australian Parliamentary Select Committee
issued an Interim Report following a review of the past and present
position of former Child Migrants in Western Australia. Despite
some positive contributions in terms of promoting further understanding
of many of the difficulties faced by former Child Migrants, the
Committee's existence inevitably raised hopes but later failed
to deliver results. The Report created much anger and disappointment
by its narrow focus on only one conclusion—that the Committee's
work should be expanded and extended into the following year.
When this proposal was eventually rejected last year, many former
Child Migrants felt betrayed as the Committee's significant investment
of time, money and other resources seemed to have produced no
tangible benefits.
Constraints and complaints It
is not easy to provide a comprehensive, professional service to
former Child Migrants and their families in 1998. There are many
difficulties which arise from the nature of their experiences
and the complexity of their needs. There are also political and
other sensitivities which have arisen from the role of the Trust
in exposing the human costs of Child Migration, which have led
to stressed relationships with the migrating agencies.
Some of the difficulties for our staff arise from
the:
— Anger and despair of former Child Migrants
waiting for a conclusion to their search for their families. Some
have been waiting for years; there are more coming forward every
week.
— Inadequate financial resources which
have denied our staff any security of employment, and have led
to staff working excessive overtime, simply because it is clear
to each staff member that families need to be found quickly.
— Lack of any travel budget which has meant
that clients in Australian states other than Western Australia
and Victoria have had to wait for long periods of the Trust to
visit, or rely on contact by telephone, a poor medium for dealing
with such sensitive matters.
— Complexity of each case; our clients
need a highly specialised and individual service. Yet our present
funding by the Australian Government allows for only two workers
who have caseloads in excess of 200 each.
— Hostility from other agencies, who do
not accept that a neutral service is needed for Child Migrants
to be freed from their past. Some agencies argue that former Child
Migrants need reconciliation with the migrating agency as part
of their recovery. This is particularly true of those agencies
who demonstrate an agenda of trying to bring former Child Migrants
"back into the fold".
— Managing Australian offices without adequate
clerical support, so that workers are constantly trying to balance
the need to answer telephones whilst also providing a face-to-face
service.Most of these issues focus around resources or professional
practices. However, the concern that the Trust takes a negative
view of the migrating agencies is a perennial issue which we believe
arises from the Trust's role as whistle blower, and the agencies'
slow response to meet their responsibilities in this matter. The
Trust adopts the same social work values and principles in its
dealings with all the migrating agencies. The Trust does take
a strong position against child abusers, including paedophiles,
and is concerned that the needs of former Child Migrants are not
compromised by the difficulties the migrating agencies may have
in dealing with their past practices or organisational guilt.
Courts and convictions There
have been several court cases, especially in Australia, involving
former staff members of residential institutions involved in the
care of Child Migrants. Most, but by no means all, of these cases
concern male staff of religious agencies facing charges of indecent
assault or sexual and physical abuse of vulnerable children.Despite
the difficulties in collecting evidence about offences committed
many years ago, convictions have been secured and jail sentences
imposed. Public apologies have also been made by Church leaders
for the terrible abuses suffered by children, including many former
Child Migrants in Western Australia and at an orphanage in Neerkol,
Queensland. One feature of particular concern has been the large
number of children severely damaged by just one paedophile. For
example, a "caregiver" jailed for seven years who had
been employed by an agency heavily involved in child migration
was implicated in abusing at least 28 young children. According
to the police reports, many of these victims were so haunted by
the abuse that as adults they withdrew into reclusive lives or
turned to alcohol for comfort. At least two were so burdened by
shame and guilt after suffering childhood abuse that they committed
suicide. These findings confirm the experience of the Trust's
clients of the lasting damage caused by this type of abuse.
All these court cases have been extensively reported by the mass
media and have thus maintained an active interest in issues concerning
former Child Migrants. In addition, several autobiographies by
former Child Migrants have been published in Australia as well
as an increasing number of histories concerning particular aspects
of Child Migration. These have reinforced the impact of current
affairs programmes and television news items often featuring either
controversial developments and revelations or more happy stories
involving family reunions.Former Child Migrants now realise that
their voices are much more likely to receive a sympathetic hearing
before a more receptive audience. The walls of disbelief and indifference
have crumbled down as more allegations of ill-treatment have been
proved, more perpetrators imprisoned and more apologies given.
Responses and resources Despite
considerable progress in promoting awareness of the often sad
and occasionally tragic consequences of the migration schemes,
the Trust has been disappointed by the inadequate response of
Governments and migrating agencies to the incontrovertible need
for urgent and substantial resource provision. With some notable
exceptions, there has been a lack of imagination and leadership
in the response of the agencies, coupled with a reluctance or
refusal by governments to fund the necessary services. It has
taken too long for agencies to move beyond reactions of denial
before assuming more constructive positions and policies. Similarly,
the British Government's initial response to a request for moderate
funding by the Trust was to take several months to process the
application before providing a small grant which would not meet
the annual salary of just one social worker.After receiving no
funds in the previous year, in 1992 the Trust wrote to the Department
of Health explaining that it was involved in a race against time
if former Child Migrants were to be reunited with their elderly
parents and families. A positive commitment was required to confront
the results of a policy which had failed to protect the interests
of so many British children. Despite this letter, which clearly
and forcefully stated the urgent need to resume funding, there
was a total lack of a positive response by the Government.Similarly,
the Trust's initial request to the migrating agencies for financial
assistance fell largely on deaf ears, despite their considerable
resources, influential supporters and fund-raising potential.
As some of these agencies spend more in a single week than the
Trust's total expenditure over the past 10 years, a more creative
and generous response would have been appropriate. Fortunately,
the Uniting Church in Australia did not follow this pattern and
provided a grant to cover the cost of urgently needed administrative
support in Victoria.While the Australian Government demonstrated
a more flexible and willing approach at first, the Trust has struggled
to develop an adequate level of service provision to match the
range and diversity of its clients' needs. Thus, both in Britain
and Australia, government funding has never been sufficient to
fund more than one social work post at any of its offices. Certain
key items of expenditure, such as the costs associated with family
research or overseas travel, have never been included in any funding
by either government. In short, the Trust has only been able to
secure a minimum level of funding which provides for only the
most basic level of service. This has resulted in considerable
levels of stress and overloading on the Trust's few members of
staff and a constant struggle to keep pace with the many urgent
demands made on the service. In Australia, for example, there
are groups of former Child Migrants in Queensland, South Australia
and New South Wales who require a much more accessible and local
service. However, the Trust needs to develop its services in a
balanced, synchronised way and would require more resources in
Britain before it could service further offices abroad.
The Present position Although
the Trust continues to receive new referrals every week, support
for its vital work has been reduced to a final grant of £20,000
this year with no provision by the Department of Health for future
funding. However, to provide a proper level of service, the Trust's
current funding levels need to be reinforced immediately, given
the diminishing time available to find and reunite former Child
Migrants with elderly parents. The Trust benefits from a Lottery
grant which provides finance for two Social Workers and a part-time
clerical post over the next two and a half years.The work of the
Trust is time-limited and will not stretch beyond a distant horizon,
at least in terms of family reunions. The Trust has a sound infrastructure
in place, coupled with the necessary professional knowledge and
skills required to find and reunite relatives and families. It
simply lacks two key resources—time and money.Those whose
parents have died over the last decade know only too well that
time was not on their side. However, those whose parents are yet
to be found will want to know if this Government is committed
to helping them in positive and tangible ways. Certainly, without
renewed funding, even the Trust's limited staffing levels may
be jeopardised, as would the number of reunions. More elderly
parents will die before they can be reunited with their sons and
daughters.
Central Government played a major role in child migration schemes—by
establishing their legal framework, by providing financial support
and even approving the decision to migrate specific children.
Its responsibilities cannot be regarded as adequately discharged
after providing a marginal level of support over a limited period
to assist a minority of those concerned.
Conclusion The Terms of
Reference for this Committee are clear in their main focus on
what action the British Government and others can take now and
in the future to assist this unique group of people. However,
it should be acknowledged that we cannot plan for the future without
acknowledging and informing ourselves of the appalling legacy
of the past. Sadly, the treatment of this particular group of
British subjects rarely generates a sense of pride either at home
or overseas. For many, it provokes a sense of shame.The Child
Migration schemes separated British children from their families
and communities and abandoned them to their fate. Most feel neglected
and rejected, and desperately need their experience to be validated.
Many were subjected to extreme forms of sexual, physical and emotional
abuse. Clearly, this is an issue which demands recognition and
compassion for the wrongs of the past which caused so much pain
to so many. Former Child Migrants cannot understand why their
Governments have been so indecisive and hesitant in their efforts
to help. However much we may regret certain events in the past,
we cannot change them but for Child Migrants there are still grounds
for hope. There are measures we can take today which could go
a long way to heal the pain and hurt of the past.The British and
Australian governments should work together with the Trust to
resolve this issue. It is not too late, although time is fast
running out. All too often, the Trust's staff have to sit with
former Child Migrants and explain to them that their mother has
died while we have been searching for her. The past was awful,
but the last 10 years have been truly wasted years for many. It
is difficult to imagine any possible justification for the many
missed opportunities to provide adequate funding over the past
decade.The last chapter in the Child Migrants' story is not yet
written, and this may be the Government's last chance to redress
the fallout from this appalling piece of recent social history.
Times and attitudes have changed. There is now a greater understanding
of the needs of young children so that we can feel confident that
Britain would never again subject vulnerable children to the horrors
of such inhumane treatment. But the Child Migrants today are still
those same children who have been suffering for the past 50 years
and more.This is the saddest of all situations. Wherever there
is hope and a chance to rectify the mistakes of the past and we
turn our backs on that opportunity, we risk becoming morally bankrupt.
Recommendations Without
a major package of resources and a planned, swift response to
this appalling British child care policy, many former Child Migrants
will be condemned to live the remainder of their lives without
any sense of personal reconciliation with their families, themselves,
or their country.We recommend that the Government should give
urgent consideration to the following measures:
1. The Trust needs a secure and substantial
funding base to provide increased social work staffing levels
to meet the urgent demand for service from former Child Migrants
and their families. Child Migrants view the Trust's struggle for
funding and the inadequate response from governments as evidence
of further abandonment and a clear indication that they remain
the "forgotten people". The Trust's two Australian offices
combined are currently servicing in excess of 500 clients, with
only two social workers. Waiting lists for social work and family
research services are lengthy and growing. Alongside funding for
additional staffing positions there is an urgent need for a travel
budget and other infrastructure costs.
2. The Trust needs funding to secure
the appointment of full-time researchers urgently. The waiting
list for family research has been increasing rather than decreasing
over recent years. Each week, on average there are two to three
new clients approaching the Trust for assistance to locate their
families. We believe that many more families could be found within
a comparatively short time frame if the Trust was resourced for
this key activity.
3. A package of resources, including
air fares to enable former Child Migrants and their families to
be reunited is needed desperately. At present many former Child
Migrants cannot obtain assistance for travel to the United Kingdom
to meet with their families. There are two limited schemes for
assistance, mainly in Western Australia with restricted access
and funds. Only a neutral, government-administered fund would
provide the equity of access needed at the sensitive and difficult
period surrounding a family reunion. This would be viewed as a
timely response to a problem created by Government policy, and
would be considered by most former Child Migrants as a positive
step towards reconciliation.
4. Assistance and co-operation from government
departments is needed urgently to assist the Trust to search for
families. The cost of various methods of family research have
never been covered by any funding grant although they represent
a major item of expenditure within the Trust's budget. Protocols
for fast tracking of urgent matters are also required as delays
of several weeks for an urgently sought item of information is
presently commonplace.
5. The Trust should be assisted to compile
and complete a computerised database of all former Child Migrants
and their records. This would require the co-operation of governments
and agencies, and would protect former Child Migrants and their
families from the stress of negotiating with the migrating agency
if their experience in care was negative. The Trust would be able
to access client information on behalf of former Child Migrants
without the need for direct contact between Child Migrants and
the migrating agency.
6. Discussions between the British, Irish,
Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand governments are needed urgently
to consider a co-ordinated response to the needs of this disadvantaged
group of people. In particular, there remain outstanding concerns
with regard to social security benefits and citizenship rights.
7. The plight of the Child Migrants represents
probably the worst post-war scandal in British childcare policy.
Our clients often speak of the need for acknowledgement by the
British Government and recognition of their trauma through an
unconditional apology. However, an apology needs to be backed
by the provision of tangible measures to address present and future
needs for it to be seen as a genuine response.
8. Former Child Migrants regard themselves
as a group forgotten by the British people. There are no monuments,
plaques or museum exhibitions commemorating this aspect of our
history; nor is there as yet a recognised Government position
concerning their past suffering and present plight. The former
Government expressed a concern to help reunite families but did
not provide the resources to realise this policy.The story
of child migration is urgently in need of a more dignified and
happy ending. We hope the Committee will seize this last opportunity
to ensure that as many Child Migrants as possible can be reunited
with their families.We hope we have learnt from the past and now
present to you for your consideration the opportunities for today
and the future. Many Child Migrants and their families live daily
with the legacy of their past. What we do now will stay with them
for generations.
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