findingrecords.dhhs.vic.gov.au

Observatory Clinic (c.1954–78)

Summary

  • Auspice: Department of Health I 1944-1952 ; Mental Hygiene Authority [statutory authority] 1952-1962 ; Mental Health Authority [statutory authority] 1962-1978 ; Health Commission of Victoria 1978-1985 ; Department of Health II 1985-1992 ; Department of Health and Community Services 1992-1996 ; Department of Human Services I 1996-2010
  • Name: Observatory Clinic (c.1954–78)
  • Other names: Collins Street Clinic (c.1948–); South Eastern Centre / South Eastern Child and Family Centre (1978–c.90s); Alfred Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service – CAMHS 
  • Address: Birdwood Avenue, Melbourne, 594 St Kilda Road, Melbourne 

Observatory Clinic history in brief

In 1952, Melbourne had two children’s mental health clinics: the Collins Street Clinic and the Children's Court Clinic. The Collins Street Clinic was a small unit in the middle of a house divided into four medical consulting rooms, and opened during ordinary office hours only.

A former kindergarten in Bouverie Street was converted into another children's clinic, the Bouverie Clinic.

In 1954, the Observatory Clinic succeeded the Collins Street Clinic. It was situated in the grounds of the old Observatory in Kings Park, the Domain.

It had three divisions: outpatients, psychotherapy unit and treatment unit.

  • The outpatient clinic was staffed by visiting psychiatrists from mental hospitals and early treatment centres. It provided short-term treatment and allowed doctors to see patients for follow up.
  • The psychotherapy unit provided some intensive treatment and also examined children.
  • The treatment unit worked with both adults and children. Children had a waiting room, wet and dry play areas and group rooms for families. Parent groups were held for mothers and fathers, as well as evening woodwork classes. This treatment centre also allowed for physical treatments, such as modified insulin or electroplexy (old term for electroconvulsive therapy).

The Observatory Clinic conducted teaching for social workers, psychologists, kindergartens and other students. It also ran a weekly social club in a large classroom at Bouverie Clinic, with up to 60 patients attending each week.

The Observatory Clinic eventually became a specialist child psychiatric clinic and stopped seeing adults.

By 1975, the Observatory Clinic was providing:

  • out-patient treatment for children and youths of all ages presenting with emotional disturbances, such as difficulties in the family or at school.
  • facilities for psychological assessment through standardised tests, interviews and play situations. Children received individual or group psychotherapy, and family therapy was also provided.
  • a consultation service was provided to the School Medical Service and to various community social agencies concerned with children and youth.
  • a day centre for pre-school children to help diagnose children under five years.
  • education and training programs for child psychiatrists and members of the allied profession.

In late-1970s (most likely 1978), the Observatory Clinic ceased operation and was replaced by the South Eastern Centre, later South Eastern Child and Family Centre.

In the 1990s the clinic became known as the Alfred Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).

In the late 1990s, CAMHS was incorporated into community mental health services as part of the Department’s ‘mainstreaming’ program.

Warning about distressing information

This guide contains information that some people may find distressing. If you experienced abuse as a child or young person in an institution mentioned in this guide, it may be a difficult reading experience. Guides may also contain references to previous views, policies and practices that are regrettable and do not reflect the current views, policies or practices of the department or the State of Victoria. If you find this content distressing, please consult with a support person either from the Department of Health and Human Services or another agency.

Disclaimer

Please note that the content of this administrative history is provided for general information only and does not purport to be comprehensive. The department does not guarantee the accuracy of this administrative history. For more information on the history of child welfare in Australia, see Find & ConnectExternal Link .

Source

  • Department’s collated agency histories.

List of records held by the department

For information relating to the central management of care leavers and wards of state, please consult the guide to Central department wardship and out-of-home care records. These collections date back to the 1860s and include ward registers, index cards and ward files.

PLEASE NOTE: Patients could be admitted to a Receiving House for short-term treatment and care, but were not permitted to remain longer than two months.
Patients still needing treatment after two months could be sent to a Psychiatric Hospital, in the same institution/complex or another. Hence, there could be more than one set of records for any one person. Please check each location for former patient records.


Outpatient case histories (Observatory Clinic and South Eastern Centre) (1946–85)

File; Temporary

Content: Case histories of patients attending the Observatory Clinic later South Eastern Centre as psychiatric outpatients, and inpatient documentation from referring psychiatric hospital.

Many of these files have the Observatory Clinic or Southern Health Centre file covers placed on over the Department of Mental Hygiene Victoria Hospital Record files (some files do not even have the clinic’s file cover). The Department of Mental Hygiene files comprise the inpatient documentation from the hospitals, where the patient first received treatment.

Many of these patient case histories therefore record both the patient’s inpatient treatment at a hospital and their attendance later at an outpatient clinic. The files provide the case history of each patient’s treatment and progress; some files detail the process from the first referral to final referral for the patient.

The file enclosures can include the following:

  • statement of patient’s personal details
  • registration and discharge details
  • psychiatric case history
  • test results such as IQ test
  • patient file number

The file numbers are included on the outpatient index cards (see below).


Outpatient index cards (Observatory Clinic and South Eastern Centre) (1950–85)

Card; Temporary

Content: Case histories of patients attending the Observatory Clinic later South Eastern Centre as psychiatric outpatients.

Cards giving summary information about patients attending the outpatient clinics. The cards index the files, linking each patient’s name with the patient file number.

Reviewed 26 August 2016