The Wire

Yesterday saw the release of the Forgotten Australians report, which found that children cared for by church, government and welfare agencies were subject to widespread emotional, physical and sexual abuse in their care. The Care Leavers of Australia Network (or CLAN) is a support and advocacy group for people brought up in care away from their family as state wards or Home children raised in Children’s Homes, orphanages or other institutions, or in foster care. CLAN was founded in 2000 by two Sydney Care Leavers, Leonie Sheedy and Joanna Penglase. They met when Joanna was researching her PhD thesis, which was based on her own Home experience and that of 90 interviewees who grew up in ‘care’ in NSW. Cinnamon Nippard spoke with Leonie Sheedy, co-founder of CLAN who says the report’s significance cannot be overstated.

Care Leavers of Australia Network
Forgotten Australians: A Report on Australians who Experienced Institutional or Out-of-Home Care as Children