| Watson Lodge |
| Years of Operation | 1967 - 1984 |
| Role Of Facility | Home-like, supervised atmosphere for 12 adolescent female Wards. |
| Sponsoring Agency | Departmental - predessor to the current Department for Child Protection |
| Address(es) | 162 Aberdeen St, West Perth (the building had been renovated for the purpose). |
| Aliases | Watson Lodge Life Skills Centre |
| Brief History | Established April 1967 to provide short term care in “an atmosphere of a well organised, well adjusted normal home for adolescent girls who have resisted institutional care, or who have failed to settle in substitute homes or hostels of the conventional type.” (Annual Report of the Department for Child Welfare, 1968). Watson Lodge had no residential staff, but operated with female staff working to shift rosters.
The renovation of the rented house which would accommodate Watson Lodge was undertaken in part by boys from Riverbank [see separate entry in Signposts]. Staff and girls involved in the Watson Lodge programme undertook the redecoration of the facility.
In 1976, Watson Lodge was identified in the Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare as being an “eight bed training hostel” and an adjunct to Nyandi [see separate entry in Signposts].
“Girls attaining an acceptable level with [pre-vocational] skills are then supported in finding and maintaining themselves in employment. A behaviour-rating questionnaire is used to gain feed-back from employers.” (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, 1977).
By 1984, Watson Lodge’s residential program had been closed and a day centre operated as part of the Nyandi system. (Annual Report of the Department for Community Welfare, 1984).
A limited chronology of the major events at Watson Lodge, including admissions and discharges, is included in Table 63. |
| Records | Departmental records for children or young people placed by the Department or the Children’s Court may exist. |
| Access | While access to records is restricted to protect the privacy of individuals, people are encouraged to enquire. |
| Contact Details | Freedom of Information
Department of Communities
Locked Bag 5000, Fremantle WA 6959
Telephone: (08) 6217 6888
Country free call: 1800 176 888
Email: foi@communities.wa.gov.au
Website: www.communities.wa.gov.au |
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