The Mount Lawley Government Reception Home was first established as an industrial school at Claisebrook in 1893 after the passage of the Industrial and Reformatory Schools Act 1893, moving to Subiaco in 1897. It functioned as a temporary reception centre for children temporarily or permanently placed out of home, which remained largely unchanged until the 1970’s despite a number of name changes. It originally housed girls, then older children. By 1902 it was known as the Government Industrial School and Receiving Depot. The Report by the Superintendent of Public Charities and Inspector of Industrial and Reformatory Schools, 1902 (p.16) noted that the “younger destitute children formerly detained in the Home for Women” were moved to Subiaco. By 1907 after the passing of the Child Welfare Act, the institution’s name changed to the Government Receiving Depot, recognising the institution’s primary function as a provider of temporary accommodation. All children committed under the Child Welfare Act 1907 were sent to the Home before being boarded out, or placed in an orphanage or industrial school (reformatory). The Home moved twice in this period, to West Perth in 1916 and then Mt Lawley in 1921.
The Home provided temporary accommodation for children awaiting placements with foster parents or institutions, including members of the Stolen Generations. It also accommodated children who were awaiting medical or dental treatment in Perth, or who were scheduled for appearance at the Children’s Court. Private admissions were also accommodated.
In 1935, the institution’s name changed to the Government Receiving Home, which is how it had been referred to in child welfare statistics since 1926, which remained the official name until 1953 when it became the Child Welfare Reception Home. About 700 children a year passed through the Home in 1935, with 40-45 children resident at a time. Around 20 were adopted out each year.
In 1949, the Home was reported as receiving white-passing children who were forcibly removed from their families by the Protector of Aborigines, and placing them into foster care with white families. By 1965, First Nations children stolen from their homes and schools passed through Mt Lawley before being moved to places such as Roelands Native Mission Farm.
In 1953 the name changed to the Child Welfare Reception Home, changing once again to the Mt Lawley Reception Home in 1973, however department files still referred to the Home by its previous name (or the acronym CWRH) until 1979. In 1953, RH Hicks, the Director of Child Welfare and Social Services in New South Wales, undertook a review of Western Australian child welfare facilities and administrative structures and practices. The report has never been released, but was provided to some members of the press to report on the recommendations, who instead published parts of the report. Some parliamentarians also received the report in confidence, whilst others had no access beyond what had been published in the newspaper.
The report found that “conditions at subsidised institutions used by the Child Welfare Department varied, but generally they were not good”, and led to an overhaul of the Child Welfare Department (CWD).
In 1954, Peter Brett, a university law lecturer, published an opinion piece about conditions of Homes in the West Australian, based on the findings of his masters thesis. He was scathing about the solitary cells at Mt Lawley, noting that one nine year old boy had been in the cells for a week after stealing goods worth 5 pounds. He also noted the lack of hot water in the solitary block .
Other newspaper articles from 1954 describe the Home, including the solitary block for children awaiting court “in absence of a suitable remand home”, but stated that children were housed in the block for short periods of time (1-2 days) largely due to a lack of staff to supervise them. Children were considered “well fed and decently clothed”, however their welfare was impacted by the Home “trying to serve too many purposes,” with a staff of only 22. At this time, the age of the children ranged from a few months old to around 17 years. In addition to temporary accommodation and remand, the Home also acted as a hospital for sick babies, and housed some children with disabilities.
Following the Hicks report and publishing of Brett’s article, The HON. J. G. HISLOP spoke in parliament about the Home, and “concerns [about the] present of child welfare in this State”. He called for a structural overhaul of child welfare in the state.
In the 1970’s, the Home’s emphasis shifted from being that of a holding centre to playing more of a role in the assessment and planning for the resident’s future, in keeping with a shift to prevention and away from reform, from child welfare to child protection.
In 1980, Mt Lawley became known as the Walcott centre, as “part of a system of support hostels that gave increasing emphasis to assessing children’s needs and planning for their future” until finally closing in 1984.
From
1893
To
1980
Alternative Names
Government Industrial School
Government Industrial School and Receiving Depot
Government Industrial School for Boys and Girls
Government Industrial School and Receiving Depot for Boys and Girls
Industrial School, Subiaco
Government Receiving Depot
Government Receiving Home for Children
Mt Lawley Children's Reception Centre
Mt Lawley Reception Home
CWRH
Child Welfare Reception Home
Child Welfare Receiving Home
Child Welfare Department Reception Centre
Receiving Depot
Receiving Home
Walcott Centre
1893 - 1897
Government Industrial School operated from rented premises in Claisebrook, in the East Perth area, Western Australia (Building State unknown)
6 October 1897 - 1916
Located on the corner of Railway Parade and Barker Road, Subiaco, Western Australia (Building Still standing)
1916 - 1921
The Government Receiving Depot relocated to the corner of Marquis and Wellington Streets, West Perth., Western Australia (Building Demolished)
1921 - 1980
The Mt Lawley Reception Home relocated and remained on the corner of Walcott and Lord Streets, Mount Lawley, Western Australia (Building Still standing)
