The Central Region Admission Unit (CRAU) was opened by the Department for Community Welfare in 1979 on the site of the former Reception Cottage at Somerton Park. CRAU took in up to eight State children for short term care. The name of this Unit changed to the Western Region Admission Unit (WRAU) in 1980. In some departmental documents the WRAU is referred to as the Central/Western Admission Unit.
During the 1970s and into the 1980s, the department used smaller residential care units for State children rather than large institutions. Each metropolitan region had a number of units which were used for different purposes. Admission Units provided short term crisis care; Assessment Units were used for teenage young offenders and other units provided therapeutic care for children with specific needs. Community Units provided longer term care and also assisted young people to move gradually back into the community.
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Last updated:
06 May 2022
Cite this: http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/sa/SE00216
First published by the Find & Connect Web Resource Project for the Commonwealth of Australia, 2011
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