Home of Compassion Children's Home

Home of Compassion, Children’s Home, 1907 – 1988

The Home of Compassion, off Murray Street, in Island Bay for 100 years, in 2007, provided residential care for young children for over 80 years. During `907, foundlings (parents unknown), incurables (children with physical disabilities), orphans and neglected children were transferred from Jerusalem (on Whanganui River) to Island Bay. With Mother Suzanne Aubert’s compassion this was the only institution, in the country, taking in illegitimate babies under two years old. The new Home, with the Sisters of Compassion, fulfilled a need to professionally nurse, support and educate the ‘little unwanted’ and children born with congenital conditions. In time, there was ongoing accommodation for 80 children, in this well-known Children’s Home and Residential Nursery.

The Nursery closed in 1975, after caring for infants since 1908, reflecting changes in society. During the 1980’s there was considerable hospital rebuilding, increasing provision of non-residential children’s day care from 1984, and no longer a need for residential care of children by 1988. Some of these children attended the centenary celebrations in April 2007, as very thankful adults.