Forgotten Australians

Helping Hand recognises the critical importance of understanding that every person’s life journey is unique and will impact on their needs and expectations as they age.

A group known as Forgotten Australians has been identified as having many challenges as they face the possibility of aged care. Forgotten Australians represent the 500,000 children that were placed into institutional and out-of-home care in Australia in the last century. Of this group, 7,000 were former child migrants, 50,000 were indigenous children from the Stolen Generations and over 440,000 were non-indigenous children. Many of these children experienced significant physical and emotional trauma as a result of being placed in institutional care as children and now, as an older group, are experiencing barriers to accessing aged care as a result. We respect that not everyone will identify with the terminology ‘Forgotten Australians’.

The Real Care The Second Time Around Forgotten Australians Project, funded by the Commonwealth Government, commenced in 2019. This important project has been developed with Forgotten Australians by Helping Hand, in partnership with Relationships Australia South Australia and Flinders University. The project is working towards improving the access to quality aged care services for Forgotten Australians.

Online Learning

Working with aged care clients who experienced childhood trauma in ‘care’

An e-learning program has been developed by The Australian Institute of Social Relations and Relationships Australia South Australia (Elm Place) in collaboration with Helping Hand’s Real Care the Second Time Around project team and co-design forum.

The course is an introduction to understanding the impacts of childhood trauma for people now entering aged care. It focuses on the experiences of Forgotten Australians, Stolen Generations, Former Child Migrants and people affected by forced adoption. Click here to access the online learning resources.

All people have a fundamental right to be heard and provided care according to their individual needs. Standard 1 of the Aged Care Quality Standards requires providers to treat all aged care recipients with dignity and respect, and value their identity, culture and diversity. Aged care providers must meet the needs of the people they provide care for on an individual basis. This e-learning supports the aged care workforce to understand the needs of older people from a background of trauma.

Hear the benefits from some who have completed the free e-learning program:

Resources

Hard copy versions of these resources can be obtained by contacting Helping Hand by email or phone 1300 653 600, and they can be downloaded by clicking on the images or links below:

• A brochure with ten questions that Forgotten Australians can ask when looking for residential aged care accommodation. Click here to download the brochure.
• A publication to assist aged care providers with practical tips, information and resources when working with people who identify as Forgotten Australians / Care Leavers. Click here to download the booklet.
• A publication to assist aged care providers to support their clients to develop one-page summaries that captured their individual stories, and that would follow them through the aged care pathway. Click here to download the booklet.
• Real Care the Second Time Around, Helping Hand’s position statement about Forgotten Australians. Click here to download the position statement.