Over 150 years ago the Sisters of Mercy, the Christian Brothers and the Sisters of St Joseph commenced their work in Victoria.

Inspired by the charism of their founders, Catherine McAuley, Edmund Rice and Mary MacKillop, the three Congregations established homes for children who were orphaned, destitute or neglected and for mothers who were in need of care and support. The Homes that formed part of these services included:

•St Vincent’s Boys Orphanage, South Melbourne
•St Augustine’s Orphanage, Geelong
•St Vincent’s Girls Orphanage, South Melbourne
•St Catherine’s Girls Orphanage, Geelong
•St Joseph’s Home for Boys, Surrey Hills
•St Joseph’s Babies Home, Broadmeadows
•St Joseph’s Receiving Home, Carlton
•St Anthony’s Home, Kew
•St Vincent de Paul Child & Family Service, Black Rock

Throughout the years, the original model of institutional care evolved into different forms of residential care, foster care, education and family support services.

In 1997, MacKillop Family Services was formed as a re-founding of the earlier works providing a range of integrated services to children, young people and their families. On July 1 2009, Edmund Rice Community Services, an agency of the Christian Brothers in NSW, also became part of MacKillop Family Services.

Today MacKillop Family Services is a leading provider of services for children, young people and their families in Melbourne, Geelong, Warrnambool, western Sydney and southern New South Wales. The programs we deliver include foster care and residential care, disability services, youth support, education and training, family support, refugee services and support to women and men who, as children, were in the care of our founding agencies.