About
Hundreds of thousands of Australians spent part or all of their childhoods separated from their families for a range of reasons. Care Leavers have made extraordinary contributions to the Australian community – personally, politically and culturally. Through Activism and Advocacy many Care Leavers have led some of the most significant changes in social policy in Australian history. ‘More than our childhoods’ provides a place to collect and communicate these diverse experiences and achievements, in ways that will help inform and educate future generations of Care Leavers and activists.
Timeline - see our work in progress
Care Leaver Activism & Advocacy
This timeline is intended to honour and acknowledge the extraordinary work that has been done over generations by Care Leaver survivor-activists. The timeline currently has a small sample of entries to allow you to see how it will function, but we need you to help build this timeline. Between 26 June, 2023 and 24 July, 2023, we are hosting online workshops and discussions to add to these initial entries. Please let us know if you would like to join us at one of these sessions by registering here: https://calendly.com/activism-timeline-workshop/2023.
Life Stories
From Deficit Models To Survivor Narratives
The life stories featured on this website aim to recognise the breadth and diversity of Care Leavers across time, especially those from, or with connections to, Australia. As a collection, these stories are a form of historical advocacy that seeks to reinforce narratives of survival and contributions to community, rather than the deficit-based models which often produce negative representations.
More About the Project
More Than Our Childhoods is part of a larger participatory research project that examines the long history of society stigmatising and negatively stereotyping Care Leavers, traces the rising prominence of survivor-activism in this area, and asks how we should be writing and telling the histories and life stories of Care Leavers today.