Guide Note
Australia's "Stolen Generations" were a group of children who, between
1869 and the
1970s, were removed from their families by the
Australian government. Legislation made all aboriginal children wards of the state.
Fast Facts
- Children taken: 100,0001
- Duration: Officially from 1869-1969
- Target: Primarily children of mixed descent
- 1997: Official Report: Bringing them Home (1997)
- February 13, 2008: Kevin Rudd gave an official apology
Stolen Generations
Aboriginal children, mostly mixed-race, were taken from their families in an effort to eradicate their culture. Proponents of the government's actions say it protected abused and neglected children. The children were not allowed to speak their native languages or have contact with their families. Some children were sent to boarding schools; others were adopted into white families.
Official Apology
On February 13, 2008, Australian prime minister Paul Rudd made a formal apology to Australia's Aborigine population for the government's actions in taking children away from them. Rudd called the government's actions a "stain on the nation's soul".2
