Welcome to Origins SA!
Some background
…..Well, we are a group of women who have lost children to adoption in Australia. There have been approximately 300,000 adoptions in Australia, with an estimated 150,000 infant adoptions between the 1950's- 1980's.
Most mothers lost children in the period of the late 60's through to the mid 70's, although the adoption of children in South Australia was ticking over like a well-oiled machine from 1931. During this peak period of adoption over 150,000 newborns were taken from their mothers. These children were taken to provide a meet an unquenchable demand for healthy, white newborns, and as a community service to infertile couples.
In South Australia, young shamed mothers were processed through both public and private hospitals throughout the State, and incarcerated in unwed mothers homes such as St Josephs at Fullarton, McBrides and Kate Cocks homes.
Our group was formed out of the need to focus on two issues.
The second need has never been met. It is that the lifelong trauma of adoption continues to be denied and minimised by those who have wrought the damage, and perpetuated by post adoption counsellors. "Counselling" was given mostly by adoption agencies who over-saw a huge number of adoptions in Australia. Needless to say this has not resulted in the mothers being given a full account of the adoption experience, validation of her loss or an explanation of her legal position.
We are a non-funded group who relies on donations and membership contributions from our members. We are fully independent from any government, religious or other charitable institutions.
Our group was started four years ago by a small group of women in NSW who wanted to address issues of adoption that conventional agencies did not cover adequately, such as emotional, psychological, and legal issues. We now have a large membership in every state of Australia and also have connections with the U.K. the United States and New Zealand.
