{
  "id": 20034298,
  "title": "‘I’m still trying to find out who I am’: the little-understood plight of Forgotten Australians",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/im-still-trying-to-find-out-who-i-am-the-little-understood-plight-of",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-14T19:00:53.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian Australia",
    "slug": "the-guardian-australia",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/society/ng-interactive/2026/nov/15/forgotten-australians-trauma-childrens-homes-orphanages-ntwnfb"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "More than half a million individuals are classified as Forgotten Australians, yet the lasting trauma from their time in orphanages and institutions remains largely unknown. Judy Leonard, now 79, was given a bed number upon entering an orphanage instead of being called by her name. The staff would refer to her as C2. Judy's early life was spent playing in the streets of Melbourne’s west, but police intervened, deeming her and her siblings neglected. They were moved to Turana, an overcrowded accommodation center that also served as a remand facility for \"problem\" children. Judy would remain there for six months before being placed in an orphanage, a fate she would never fully escape. Many Forgotten Australians experienced physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, as well as neglect. Depression and suicidality are among the lasting effects they face. Despite numerous government inquiries and a 2009 apology from then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, the trauma and its ongoing impact remain poorly understood. Judy's experience in the orphanage led to her wetting the bed, for which she was bullied. She also suffered from undiagnosed longsightedness and dyslexia, both of which were met with physical punishment. Judy and her husband, Henry, became carers for a two-year-old boy who was taken from his parents by authorities just weeks before his eighth birthday. Dean Wise, another Forgotten Australian, only recently learned of his status during a battle with bowel cancer. He was subjected to sexual abuse by a trusted figure while in a \"reception centre.\" Despite reporting the abuse to multiple parties, no action was taken, leading to a cycle of abuse that continued until the perpetrator stopped visiting. Dean is still grappling with his identity and the ongoing exhaustion resulting from his trauma. Toni Brown, now 68, was sent to a remand center in Winlaton after being caught engaging in underage sex work. Her time there was akin to a prison, with overcrowded conditions and rape by an officer. Toni's experience illustrates the systemic injustices faced by Forgotten Australians, many of whom continue to struggle with the consequences of their early experiences.",
  "summary": "They number more than half a million, yet the ongoing trauma from their time in orphanages and institutions remains poorly known When Judy Leonard entered the orphanage, she was given a bed with a number. That was how the staff would refer to her. Not by her name, or even by one of the cruel nicknames the other children gave her, but by her allocated space in the dormitory: C2. “I would like the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}