Historical Child Welfare Records in NZ

[suemillie]

John Skinner/John (Jack)Gray

Has anyone had experience/knowledge of obtaining historical Child Welfare Records in New Zealand.  I am trying to locate records for the period 1918 – 1932.  I have tried searching information through Archives NZ - which I don’t find user friendly and most records would appear to be from 1927.

My father was born illegitimate in Wellington in 1918 and was placed in an orphanage, I'm assuming from his birth through to 1932.  He was placed in the Willard Orphanage in Palmerston North possibly when it first opened in 1920, however I think he would have been in another one from 1918 to 1920. 

I seem to be going around in circles trying to find where to start.  I'm sure that because he was in an orphanage for approx.14 years with no parent contact and a change of birth name, with no obvious adoption that I can find, he would have to have been in child welfare records at least?

Thanks
Sue

[Paco]

HI, are you in NZ or UK?
I have found a tree online that looks to be that of your fathers, it includes his name as John/Jack Gray/Skinner. Is this your tree? It even has a photograph of him.
Regards.

[suemillie]

Hi there,  I am in NZ and yes this is my tree and my father.  I know the full history of dads life other than from his birth up to when he was put into the orphanage.  We suspect we know who his father was through DNA but whether he knew it of course is another matter!  I am just trying to find any "legal" information on dad through what I would have thought would be welfare/court records as to why/when he was put up for either adoption and why into the orphanage.  I have discovered 3 - 4 of dad's siblings that he never knew he had as his mother had a couple more relationships, which is why I suspect she gave him up but not the others. 
Someone would have had to pay for him to be in the orphanage as well.  I guess I am searching for the needle in a haystack scenario but would like to try and find some info on him as a baby.  Unfortunately all the orphanage records were destroyed in a fire I believe so nothing there either. 
Cheers
Sue

[jorose]

It looks like a number of records are not easily accessible (since some of this period is less than 100 years old), and some are not even indexed in the collections search.
https://www.archives.govt.nz/research-guidance/research-guides/welfare/child-welfare

I suggest you ask directly at https://www.archives.govt.nz/about-us/services-we-offer/ask-an-archivist as to what they hold.