HISTORY

The Association was originally founded in 1964 and operated under the name of The Australian Birthright Movement. Birthright was formed when it helped a small number of civilian widows with dependent children, somewhat along the lines of help given to war widows by Legacy.

Through the 60’s & 70’s Birthright was almost entirely a volunteer Movement. “Counsellors”- mainly men, few women and family teams – were allocated to lone parent families to provide support through friendship and advice.

The far reaching changes in social and economic conditions since those days have resulted in an enormous growth in the number of lone-parent families. Birthright’s basic concern is for the welfare of the children. Naturally, if we are helping a lone parent cope with life and to be independent, then we are helping the children.

For over 30 years the Movement has recognised the stress and vulnerability of single parents who have the day to day responsibility of their children. Birthright however is not a crutch. It has a positive approach, which aims at assisting families in solving their problems and restoring them quickly as possible to independence in main-stream society.