Cafs’ commitment to care and responsibility: a story of transformation
As we progress, we respect and learn from our history. We acknowledge both the challenges and the positive change that have shaped our commitment to the community.
Our History
Grounded in history, committed to better outcomes for everyone
Based in Victoria’s Central Highlands, we’re committed to building a more supportive future for children, families and individuals.
Founded in 1866 as the Ballarat District Orphan Asylum, Cafs began as a local response to hardship in the post-Gold Rush era. The first nine children entered care at 200 Victoria Street, Ballarat East, Australia – our original site, but not our current headquarters. From those early days, our work has gone on to support thousands more people across the region.
For more than 160 years, we’ve remained connected to communities in the Central Highlands, evolving from a total institution into a modern, community-based organisation. While much has changed, our purpose today is clear: to protect children, care for individuals and support families, building on lessons from the past to serve our community with care and respect.
Honouring our past. Shaping our future.
Explore the naming progression that reflects Cafs’ evolving dedication to caring for families and communities.
1866–1909 →
The Ballarat District Orphan Asylum*
1909–1968 →
The Ballarat Orphanage*
1968–1983 →
The Ballarat Children's Home*
1984–1998 →
Ballarat Children's Homes and Family Services+
1998–2018 →
Child and Family Services+
2018 to present
Cafs+
We apologise, with purpose
Our apology was shaped by former residents, their experiences help us to do better.
Cafs acknowledges the lifelong impact of institutional care, including our role in the Stolen Generation. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, from all over Australia, were placed in the Orphanage. Our formal apology is not just words, it is the result of ongoing conversations with former residents whose lived experiences shape how we now understand, represent and respond to our history.
With their guidance, our apology reflects truth, respect and a deep commitment to doing better. It is a meaningful step in our journey of healing and accountability.
A commitment to truth and healing
We’re committed to sharing our past with honesty and care, shaped by the people who lived it.
Cafs is working to represent our history with transparency, humility and respect. What was once hidden or sanitised is now part of an open and evolving record, shaped by the insights and experiences of former residents.
We’ve worked closely with the community to acknowledge the truth from the way we write about our history, to the establishment of a dedicated History and Memory Centre. This is not just about acknowledging what happened, it’s about building trust and safety into everything we do today.
From then to now: Our history holds hard truths and a story of real change.
Institutional care → Home-based care
In the 1960s and 70s, Cafs transitioned from large institutional settings to the more community-focused Family Group Home system. This shift aimed to integrate children into smaller, family-like environments that offered greater stability and support.
Centralised control → Local empowerment
In the past, decisions about children and families were made centrally, often by the state, such as the Child Welfare Department – without local context or input. Today, we’ve shifted to empowering local teams to make decisions in real time, focusing on responsive, community-led support that meets people where they are.
Reactive services → Early intervention and prevention
Cafs moved from a reactive approach to one focused on early intervention. We prioritise proactive services that help prevent issues from escalating, keeping families together and children safe before crisis points occur.
Traditional models → Trauma-informed TBRI practice
The introduction of trauma-informed care and the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®) model marked a major shift in how we work with children and families, ensuring our approach is compassionate, evidence-based and healing-focused.
Empowering survivors, supporting healing
Cafs is committed to the rights of survivors of abuse and neglect in institutional care to access support, compensation and healing.
Cafs is committed to supporting individuals impacted by institutional care through Redress Schemes. We are a member of the National Redress Scheme and are also part of the Victorian Redress Scheme.
Our ongoing work ensures transparency, access to historical records and a commitment to healing, empowering survivors to reconnect with their past while focusing on their future well-being.
Request your historical records
Get in touch to request your historical records and uncover your story.
We are pleased to assist with requests for historical records. As this work is unfunded, we kindly welcome donations to support the time and resources involved. Your contribution helps us continue preserving and making accessible our shared history
Helping to heal through history
Your support helps us continue offering vital Historical Records searches, preserving and recognising the stories that matter.
At Cafs, we can help our community uncover its history through our Historical Records searches. This service is a key part of our commitment to acknowledging and healing from the past. While it’s vital, it’s not funded, and we rely on the generosity of supporters like you to keep it going.
Please consider donating as every contribution makes a real difference in our community. Thank you for being part of this important journey.
Let’s build a better future, together.
Ready to Make a Difference With Us?
Whether you’re reaching out for support, seeking more information or looking to give back, partner, join or volunteer, we’d love to hear from you.
*HQ – 200 Victoria Street, Ballarat East
+HQ – 115 Lydiard Street North, Ballarat
Discover more
About Us
Discover how Cafs has for over 160 years supported children, families and individuals with compassion, inclusion and trauma-informed care across the Central Highlands.
At Cafs, we believe every child deserves a safe, nurturing home – somewhere they feel seen, heard and valued. Foster care provides that sanctuary, offering children and young people stability when their own home is no longer safe.
