HISTORY OF THE AGENCY
Our rich history is always with us as we strive to make a difference to the lives of children and vulnerable people today. For many people, the name Catholic Care is synonymous with adoption and orphanages. From the earliest days of the Catholic Church in Leeds, particular emphasis was placed on young women and children.
The first such provision was Mount St. Mary's Orphanage for girls opened in Leeds in 1863 and this was soon followed by a variety of institutions most of which were organised through the religious congregations. Today our modern services find secure and loving homes for children to be brought up in a family, but we also offer residential services to some children as an alternative to foster care and as their best second-chance of growing into healthy well-adjusted adults. As well as services for children we offer social work to schools, learning disability and mental health services as well as older people's support in the community.
The origins of Catholic Care can be found in 1910 when Bishop Cowgill, known as the ‘Children's Bishop', invited the Catholic Women's League to form a branch in the Diocese and he suggested "the work of protection and rescue as one in which we were especially interested, and one which it was our wish to make more diocesan and more far-reaching than the work that was being carried out by a few devoted souls in our homes for boys and girl".
In February 1911 a committee, comprising of officers of the Leeds C.W.L and members of the diocesan clergy, met under Bishop Cowgill's chairmanship and set up the Diocesan Rescue and Protection Society to develop a more systematic approach to addressing the needs of poverty and disadvantage in the Diocese. An annual collection in all missions and the annual Good Shepherd collection in schools was established that year to fund the new initiative.
The early twentieth century was a time of consolidation in the Catholic Church and the First National Catholic Congress was held in Leeds in 1911 and reinforced the strategy of church and school building, but also endorsed and affirmed the role of Catholic voluntary charitable work through the provision for the welfare of poor, marginalised and disabled people. In these early days of Catholic social action it was seen as completely natural that the Church would wish to look after its own. There was a suspicion of the secularising and interfering role of the State and Bishop Cowgill, in the tradition of his predecessors, promoted vigorously the role of the Church in providing for the poor in both their physical and spiritual needs.
Today, Catholic Care continues the rich tradition of Christian charity and social action based on the Gospel imperative to love our neighbour. Our Mission Statement directs us to work with those most in need irrespective of religious affiliations.
1863
Mount St. Mary's Orphanage for girls opened in Leeds.
1880
St. Vincent's Home for boys was opened in Leeds.
1910
The Catholic Women's League were asked by the Bishop to make provision for the care of the unmarried mothers and their children and the Leeds Diocesan Protection and Rescue Society began.
1911
The CWL given permission to hold an annual collection in all missions and the annual Good Shepherd collection in schools
1911
The Catholic Girls' Protection Home, known as St. Monica's in Leeds, was opened on the 7th December 1911 and it was placed under the care of the Sisters of the Cross and Passion.
1912
The Catholic Girls' Rescue Home, called St. Margaret's in Leeds was opened on the 7th October 1912.
1925
St. Joseph's Home at Boston Spa was acquired by the Holy Family Sisters, who were already responsible for Mount St. Mary's Orphanage in Leeds. This new home was opened as an extension of the orphanage and was originally used as a holiday home. Hollydene Cottages and Nurseries attached to this property.
1938
Bishop Cowgill Memorial Home (known as Cowgill House) opened in Leeds.
1939
St. Margaret's Mother and Baby Home opened in Headingley, - to replace St. Margaret's in Leeds.
1942
St. Vincent's Boys' Home in Leeds was closed and was replaced by a new home - St. Mary's at Boston Spa.
1943
St. Gabriel's Home at Horsforth was purchased and opened as a Baby and Toddler Home.
The Society became a registered Adoption Society on the 6th December 1943. Father John J. Kelly was appointed as the first Administrator of the Society to co-ordinate, develop and extend the existing services already outlined.
1944
The title of the Society changed to Leeds Diocesan Rescue Protection and Child Welfare Society.
Bishop Poskitt appoints Fr JJ Kelly appointed as Administrator of the Society with responsibility for all the homes.
1945
The Central Office was opened at 9 Mount Preston, Leeds.
1946
St. Gabriel's was found to be unsuitable for small children and it became a Home for 24 Senior Boys.
1947
The Leeds Diocesan Adoption Society was established. In January the first qualified Social Welfare Worker was appointed to the Rescue Society.
1948
The Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus opened a Cottage Home for 10 girls in Sheffield.
1949
St. Joseph's, Boston Spa was extended and modernised to accommodate 33 girls from Mount St. Mary's Orphanage, which was due to close in the next few years.
1953
St. Theresa's Home at Knaresborough was acquired as a further step towards the closing of Mount St. Mary's Orphanage.
A second Cottage Home was opened at in Sheffield by the Sisters of the Poor Child Jesus.
1954
St. Mary's in Leeds was opened to accommodate the remaining girls at Mount St. Mary's Orphanage.
1957
Bosco House at Headingley, Leeds opened as a small Hostel for Working Boys.
1960
Bosco House, Leeds closed as a hostel becoming a Family Group Home.
1961
The Central Office moved from Mount Preston, Leeds 2 to Carmel House in Bramley, Leeds.
1962
The Home Office asked for the appointment of Child Care Officers to:-
a) recruit foster parents;
b) board-out children;
c) provide supportive family case work.
1964
The Society, under the title Leeds Diocesan Rescue Protection and Child Welfare Society, was registered as a charity. The registration number being 232454. The objects stated on that occasion were: "To rescue from circumstances or surroundings dangerous to Faith or Morals, boys and girls who have been baptised Roman Catholics and to carry out such other charitable purposes."
St. Gabriel's on the advice of the Home Office .
1965
St. Camillus Approved School for Senior Boys opened Nr. Tadcaster.
1966
A Branch Office of the Society opened at 22 Paradise Square, Sheffield.
1968
A place in Bradford was purchased as a Centre for Teenage Girls, attending the three secondary modern schools in Bradford and deemed to be in need of some form of treatment. This centre became an Intermediate Treatment Centre.
1970
A place in Leeds 9, opened as a small Children's Home.
1971
A Working Girls' Hostel was opened in Dewsbury, and was staffed by the Sisters of the Cross and Passion.
1973
A place in Leeds 6 was opened as a Children's Home.
St. Joseph's Home, Boston Spa was closed and the children transferred to the new home at Moor Road, Leeds.
1975
A working boys' hostel was opened with the help of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Bradford 3. Redholt, Bradford was opened on the 1st September 1975, as a Children's Home - to replace St. Theresa's Home at Knaresborough.
St. Theresa's Home at Knaresborough closed on the 1st September 1975.
1978
Fixby Road, Huddersfield opened on the 16th January 1978 as a Children's Home to serve the needs of Calderdale and Kirklees areas.
Danescourt, Doncaster, opened on the 1st March 1978 as a Children's Home to serve the needs of Doncaster and that part of the Diocese.
1980
The Diocese of Hallam created
1981
Moor Road was a Mother & Baby Home until 1981, then became a Children's Home.
1982
The name of the Society changed to Catholic Child Welfare Society (Dioceses of Leeds & Hallam).
Head Office moved from to 31 Moor Road, Headingley, Leeds
1984
St. Mary's, Leeds, children's home closed.
1985
The name of the Society changed to Catholic Social Welfare Society (Dioceses of Leeds & Hallam).
1986
Westhaven's Girls' Hostel, Dewsbury closed.
1988
The name of the Society changed to Catholic Social Welfare Society (Dioceses of Leeds).
The centre in Dewsbury re-opened as a Residential Home for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
1990
A place in Hebden Bridge opened as a Residential Home for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
A place in Skipton opened as a Residential Home for Adults with Learning and Physical Difficulties
1991
House of Light, Leeds purchased a Residential Home for Adults with Learning Difficulties. Catholic Care were asked to undertake management on behalf of the House of Light Trust (Leeds).
A place in Leeds 7 opened as a Residential Home for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
A place in Bingley opened as a Supported Living Project for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
1993
The Society changed its name and became Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds).
A place in Leeds 14 opened as a Supported Living Scheme for Adults with Long-Term Mental Health problems.
1995
The Huddersfield Deanery Project for Older People opened.
1996
A place in Sowerby Bridge opened as a Supported Living Scheme for Adults with Long-Term Mental Health problems.
1997
A place in Bradford 4 opened as a Supported Living Scheme for Adults with Long-Term Mental Health problems.
1998
A place in Bradford 3 opened as a Supported Living Scheme for Adults with Long-Term Mental Health problems.
Our Children's Home, Huddersfield closed, relocating to a place in Leeds.
2000
Head Office relocated from 31 Moor Road to 11 North Grange Road, Leeds.
Hallam Diocese requested the Agency to manage Westbourne House in Sheffield on their behalf.
2002
The Hebden Bridge place closed as a Residential Home for Adults with Learning Disabilities and relocated to Todmorden which opened as a Supported Living Project for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
Management of Westbourne House, Sheffield ceased.
2003
A place in Keighley opened as a Supported Living Project for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
2004
A place in Skipton opened as a Supported Living Project for Adults with Learning Disabilities.
2006
St. Mary's Children's Home, Boston Spa closed.
2008
Leeds 7 closed as a Residential Home for Adults with Learning Disabilities to be replaced by two supported living projects : Roxholme and Templegate in Leeds.
2009
The Residential Home for Adults with Learning and Physical Difficulties, Skipton relocated to Sutton-in-Craven.
Catholic Care acts to support those in need of its services, especiallly the weak and the vunerable and it acts as an advocate for those unable to represent themselves
The primary purpose of the agency is to foster and influence a vision of how people can live together in Christian charity, love and justice, by taking the "Caring Church into the Community
