A last resort?
National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
It was like a new life for us
when
we went out of the centre.
Teenage boy, Perth focus group
Rest, play, recreational activities and the opportunity to take part in artistic and cultural events, as set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child, are very important for the healthy development of children.
Participating in games and play can help improve a child's social and personal skills, such as negotiation and sharing. For children in detention, it can help them cope with past experiences of trauma and violence and improve their mental health.
Although some efforts were made by the Department to provide play and recreation activities, the detention environment - often in remote locations, poorly grassed, surrounded by razor wire and subject to riots and disturbances - can stifle a child's desire to play and, therefore, their mental health and development. The longer a child is detained, the more serious the effects.
The Inquiry found that:
- there were no constraints on children regarding leisure time or access to outdoor areas. However, children in separation detention in Port Hedland had limited access to play outdoors
- by 2002 all centres had playground equipment for children, however, it took two years before it was installed at Woomera
- toys and sporting equipment were generally provided, although at times of overcrowding they were often insufficient to meet the needs of children in the centres
- access to televisions and videos varied between centres but was generally available.
Comments were often made by detainees regarding the absence of greenery and how this contributed to them feeling sad … On an excursion to St Michael’s School in Woomera, when I took the children to the oval the whole group … began laughing with delight and ran directly to the oval … They behaved as if they’d never seen grass before … they did not want to leave …
Former Woomera Activities Officer,
submission to the Inquiry
Organised recreational activities are also important in contributing to a child's healthy development. The Inquiry found that:
- each centre had a recreational program in place although the quality varied between centres. Although individual staff made efforts, understaffing and a lack of resources meant that the needs of children in Woomera were not always met. Children held in Villawood and Maribyrnong had more recreational opportunities because of nearby community groups and facilities.
- excursions were generally arranged on an ad hoc basis, although there were periods when no excursions were offered and in some centres excursions were often cancelled at late notice. However, concerted efforts to offer regular excursions began in some centres in late 2001.
Inquiry finding
The Commonwealth provided children in detention with sufficient opportunities for play and recreation to meet its obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, recreational opportunities are closely linked to a child’s right to enjoy – to the maximum extent possible – healthy development and recovery from past trauma. The programs and facilities provided in detention failed to meet these obligations, resulting in a breach of the Convention.
