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Western Australia - Organisation

Bentley House (1972? - 2006?)

From
1972?
To
2006?
Categories
Anglican, Home and Hostel
Alternative Names
  • Bentley Hostel (also known as)

Bentley House was established around 1972 as a government-run hostel for Aboriginal high school students. It was one of Anglican Social Services' welfare facilities. After 2006 it is likely to have been used as a government-run residential group home, also known as Bentley House.

Details

Bentley House was opened around 1972 or 1973.

Government reports (Signposts 2004) show that it was to be run by the Anglican Church from its south-west administration centre, however the Anglican Diocese of Bunbury has confirmed (2014) that this was not the case. Entries in the WA Telephone Directory indicate that Bentley House was a facility of Anglican Social Services.

In keeping with the policy at the time, it is likely that 'house parents' were introduced to Bentley House by 1975 so it could operate like a group home or 'scatter cottage' rather than as hostel.

The first admission figures that are available for Bentley House date from 1 October 1994, when there were 8 girls aged 15-17 years from a total of 11 admissions for the year. Some girls stayed from as little as one week, others more than 6 months. This suggests that Bentley House was used for temporary accommodation as well as longer-term accommodation.

Between around 2003-2006, children were placed at Bentley House through the Department for Community Development's Aboriginal Student Accommodation Service program. Possibly after 2006, Bentley House became a departmental residential group home.

Events

1972? - 2006?
Address - Bentley House was located at 1 McKay Street, Bentley. Location: Bentley

Timeline

 1972? - 2006? Bentley House
       2007? - Bentley House

Publications

Reports

  • Wilson, Katrin and Michael V. Robinson., Aboriginal Hostels in Perth : A Comparative Survey, Department of Native Welfare, [Perth, W.A.], 1971. Details

Online Resources

Sources used to compile this entry: Information Services, Department for Community Development, Signposts: A Guide for Children and Young People in Care in WA from 1920, Government of Western Australia, 2004, https://signposts.communities.wa.gov.au//pdf/pdf.aspx; State Solicitor's Office of Western Australia, 'p. 20', Guide to Institutions Attended by Aboriginal People in Western Australia, Government of Western Australia, 2005, http://web.archive.org/web/20140126131607/http://www.dpc.wa.gov.au/lantu/MediaPublications/Documents/Guide-to-Institutions-attended-by-Aboriginal-people-in-WA-2005.pdf; Western Australia. Department for Community Welfare, Annual Report: Department for Community Welfare, Dept. For Community Welfare, [Perth], 1973-1984, http://catalogue.slwa.wa.gov.au/record=b1410539~S7. p.57.; Email from Anglican Diocese of Bunbury 13 August 2014; Telephone Directory Western Australia Perth, (1972-73, p.47; 1974-75, p.47; 1975-76, p.47).

Prepared by: Debra Rosser