_{Courtesy of The Healing Foundation.}

This Narragunnawali News article was contributed by The Healing Foundation.

_{The following article contains content that readers may find distressing and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised to call 13YARN (139276) and non-First Nations people are advised to call Lifeline (131114).}

The Healing Foundation has released an updated version of its Stolen Generations Institutions Map, a powerful truth-telling and educational resource documenting the places where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly removed under government policies. The redesigned map is survivor led, grounded in academic rigor, and built to support healing, connection, and national understanding.

Based on an earlier institutions map developed by The Healing Foundation, it now includes extensive histories of institutions, an interactive map view of the sites today, and links to other key resources. It is designed as a living record that will continue to grow as survivors and families come forward.

“Every institution listed on this map represents stories of children taken, families torn apart, and communities impacted. Recognising these places is a vital step in honouring survivors and their ongoing healing,” The Healing Foundation CEO Shannan Dodson said.

Progressing reconciliation across Australia 

The map advances national reconciliation by making visible the historical realities of forced removals and the ongoing impacts of intergenerational trauma. It supports survivors and descendants seeking to understand their histories, and links them with services that can help them access records that have long been incomplete or difficult to find.

The updated map documents the known institutions that operated across Australia, including missions, reserves, orphanages, hostels, reformatories, and community settlements where children were removed to. 

Many children were moved through multiple sites, revealing the systemic and widespread nature of removal policies. The map also includes memorials, reflecting the importance of remembrance and acknowledgement.

_{From Find and Connect: Seaforth Convalescent Home.}

A record of forced removals under past government policies

From the mid-1800s, states and territories implemented laws that allowed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to be removed from their families and communities.

The map primarily focuses on institutions that operated between 1900 and 1970s, where removals were most widespread and formally sanctioned. However, some earlier institutions from the 1800s are included where historical records support their significance.

The resource is a critical tool for education and helps facilitate conversations amongst all Australians about the experiences of survivors and their families. It's important for all Australians to know and understand our history and the impacts of past government policies on children, families and communities right across the country.

“It is not just a historical record, but a living resource for truth-telling and healing,” Ms Dodson said.

About the map

The Institutions Map provides:

• Details of institutions, reserves and missions across Australia where Stolen Generations children were placed.
• Links to survivor stories and testimonies within survivor corporations and other websites
• Connections with Stolen Generations organisations
• Related resources such as the Bringing them Home report (1997), redress information, teaching resources, and removal legislation.

The map is a collaboration between The Healing Foundation and Stolen Generations survivors and families, and supported by research from Find and Connect and the University of Melbourne’s The Australian Centre.

Community members who wish to contribute additional evidence or stories can contact [email protected].

As more voices are heard, the map will continue to evolve, strengthening truth-telling, deepening understanding and supporting healing across generations.