Seaforth

In 1921 the Seaforth Convalescent Home, a two-storey building surrounded by four acres of land situated not far from the beach (at 20 Tarlton Street^[3]), was opened by the South Australian Government. The convalescent home provided short-term accommodation for children recuperating from illness or hospitalisation, as well as being used as a holiday home for children who had been placed in service. As time went by, teachers were appointed, and by the 1930s around 30 to 50 children, mainly girls, lived at the home. Numbers grew to more than 60 in the mid-1940s, and additional dormitories and staff quarters were built. In 1946 the institution was renamed Seaforth Home.^[4]

From 1946 to 1976, the home was named the Seaforth Home, and run by the government. It accommodated up to 100 boys and girls up to the age of six and girls up to the age of 18, as well as some children with disabilities, most whom were deemed to be destitute or neglected. A few had minor behavioural problems, but they were not offenders. The home became very full in the 1950s, and in order to ease the overcrowding, boys under the age of six who were ready for primary school were moved to the Glandore Industrial School.^[5] Singer-songwriter Ruby Hunter spent some time in the home.^[6]

By 1973 the there were only 30 children in the home, most with disabilities, and the accommodation was split into smaller units. The home close in 1975, to be replaced by five independent cottage residences on the same site.^[5]

The home was sometimes referred to as Seaforth Children's Home.^[7] During the 2004-2008 Children in State Care Commission of Inquiry (the Mullighan Inquiry), several women gave evidence about abuse at both Seaforth Convalescent Home and Seaforth Home, and a number of deaths were also investigated.^[4][5]