From the age of two, the was raised by The Salvation Army alongside hundreds of state wards.

While the Bayswater North resident says his life since has been very positive, he described himself as an exception.

"Some were not as lucky - so many experienced years of pain from physical and mental abuse.''

Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare chief executive officer Coleen Clare said care leavers often struggled to adapt to adulthood once they left the homes.

She said they often lacked emotional and physical skills.

"The critical stages of a child's life where they learn to trust and learn to be autonomous doesn't happen, so these children lack skills others have.

Melbourne-based agency VANISH provides services, including access to counselling and support groups, for 461 care leavers. Between March last year and March 2008, the agency assisted members with support and information on 5563 occasions.

Senior care leaver worker Caroline, a former care leaver herself, said the State Government funded long-term counselling for care leavers, but the issue needed to be "taken seriously''.

"It's no good us giving counselling if there is no food in their bellies, no roof over their head.

"The barriers have to be addressed.''

The next stage was to educate the community on the issue. People generally had "no understanding at all'' because the "forgotten Australians'' had only recently started to assert themselves.

"We didn't talk about it. We did everything to hide it. We were ashamed so we didn't talk about it,'' Caroline said.

"It's been a struggle since the day they were born.''

A spokesman for The Salvation Army, which owned the now-closed Box Hill Boys Home, said claims, enquiries and requests had been received from care leavers.

"We encourage those affected to come forward directly to us.''