A yarning circle has been established at WA's Unit 18 youth detention centre to host cultural activities and programs for young people in the notorious facility, which justice experts say must close.

The move follows the opening of a cultural ground at the Banksia Hill Detention Centre earlier this year. Aboriginal Services Manager Will Hayward said on Friday: "We've been building and creating cultural spaces that young people can utilise in programs, cultural healing and yarning with Elders."

"The space at Unit 18 is very much a part of Aboriginal services and the work we do," he said.

Mr Hayward said it would be used by WA Department of Justice staff and Aboriginal service providers for daily and weekly activities.

Unit 18, a stand alone youth unit on the grounds of Casuarina maximum security adult prison, has long faced calls for its closure.

Legal and human rights experts including the current and one former WA Children's Court president and the former Inspector of Custodial Services have called for it to be shut down.

Noongar human rights expert and law academic Dr Hannah McGlade said she supported Mr Hayward's work but Unit 18 must be closed.

"I support the work of Will Hayward at Banksia Hill Detention Centre and also urged the state to bring in Elders and cultural healing for the children affected by incarceration. At the same time, we know that two children's deaths are linked to Unit 18 - the use of which is a violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Australia is a signatory," she said.

Dr McGlade, who is a member of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, said "children should never be incarcerated in adult prisons".

This is a serious violation of their rights as children, and the state's decision in this respect is shameful. Unit 18 must be closed now, before any more children lose their lives."

WA Corrective Services Commissioner Brad Royce said the yarning circle event was an opportunity to show the young people in Unit 18 that they were supported.

"I think it's important to give them their own space, whether it be at Unit 18 or Banksia Hill, where they can sit and share stories and see their own journey," Commissioner Royce said.

One of the young people who took part in the event told Department officials that having access to the yarning circle was welcomed by the detainees.

"I reckon it's good for them and me also... (They'll) connect more, feel more comfortable and safe, and just get through their time easier," he said.

Megan Krakouer, who is working with current and former youth detainees on a class action against the WA government, told National Indigenous Times Unit 18 can not be salvaged or redeemed.

"Whilst I will always honour and respect a yarning circle, in the context of Unit 18 unless practical solutions are provided with new truths uncovered, and positive pathways forged, this will do nothing to improve life circumstances," she said.

"Some of these traumas carried by young people are extensive, and the intense psychosocial supports are a must with the individual and family circumstances to reduce recidivism and healing.

"Unit 18 must be closed - which is consistent with the Cleveland Dodd inquest. Anything short of the closure of Unit 18 is an utter disgrace."

Dr McGlade noted on Friday that "the inquest into Cleveland Dodd's shocking death has shown just how dangerous Unit 18 is, particularly as the children need trauma-informed care and treatment".

"Children should be incarcerated only as matter of last resort but that is frequently not the case," she said.

"The Premier must shoulder responsibility for reforming youth justice, we have to do much more and that will require substantive law reform in accordance with our commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

"The violations of the CRC occurring across Australia and in WA - which has the highest rate of Aboriginal youth incarceration in the nation - evidences systemic race discrimination against Aboriginal children. This has to end, there is no place for racism in Australia, especially racism involving state governments."

Dr McGlade said WA is "a wealthy state with billion in surplus from mining", and "it's high time we turned this situation around by investing into Aboriginal community based prevention and diversion programs".