Sturt Assessment Unit

The Sturt Assessment Unit was a new purpose-built facility built on the site of the former Sturt Community Unit at Sturt in 1995. Run by the government, it provided short term accommodation for State children aged between eight to upper teens. The Sturt Assessment Unit was operating in 2008.

The Sturt Assessment Unit was a new purpose-built facility which replaced the Sturt Community Unit at Sturt in 1995. Run by the Department for Family and Community Services and its successors, it was built on the same site at 318-320 Diagonal Road. The Sturt Assessment Unit provided short term accommodation for State children. Units usually accommodated up to eight children.

During the 1990s, because of a lack of foster care or residential care placements, children as young as eight were often placed in the same units as young people in their upper teens.

An assessment unit was the name given to a residential unit used for the short term placement of children under the care of the government. Children were placed in these units while their needs were assessed and longer term placements were found.

After the passing of the Community Welfare Act in 1972, assessment became the policy of the Department. It was introduced with the aim to ensure that the most appropriate form of longer term residential care was chosen for each child based on his or her individual needs.

The Sturt Assessment Unit was operating in 2008.