Apology to wards of the state reflects our collective regret

Apology to wards of the state reflects our collective regret

As many as half a million Australian children were placed in institutions and foster care throughout the 20th century. Many were wards of the state, under the direct guardianship of state welfare departments, which often failed to protect them from physical, emotional and sexual abuse, despite annual inspections of institutions and legislation that often precluded the use of corporal punishment.