They should have records. You have the right to know why, if they do not.
Orphanage was at 42 Gibbons Road, Upper Hutt. The school was at Pine Ave, Upper Hutt
Gender and age: Initially, girls only. Mixed from 1977. 1965: Upper age group; c. 1969: 6-15; 1974, 76-79: 5-12; 1979, 84, 86: School age.
Controlling organisation: Nga Whaea Atawhai o Aotearoa Sisters of Mercy New Zealand (Catholic) had full responsibility for the Home from 1911-1985. From 1970-1980, the Director of Catholic Social Services (Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington) was the Statutory Manager and Government Authority for St Joseph's Orphanage.
Third-party provider to State, faith-based
The Sisters also set up a school for the children living at the orphanage, and other Catholic children living in the area were able to go to school there too. It appears that this was the school at Pine Avenue, which was registered in 13/5/1929
Additional information: 1974: The organisation controlling this home also arranges foster-home placements. 1979: Admissions directly into home from single parent families. Mainly from "broken homes" - "preferably not too disturbed."
Information from the Catholic Church: After the closure of the Orphanage a small number of children were cared for in two community houses. Daycare was provided from the early 1980's
directory of residential facilities for disturbed children in new zealand', Department of Social Welfare, 1979. https://natlib.govt.nz/records/40422924
31 September 2020 Affidavit of Anita Ngaire Easton for Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children to the Abuse in Care Inquiry
Mercy Schools Website page on St Joseph's School, Upper Hutt: https://mercyschools.org.nz/featured_item/st-josephs-school-upper-hutt/
Information provided by Te Rōpū Tautoko (Catholic Church) to the Crown Response Unit on 24 May 2024
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