Feb 03, 2012
Latest detention stats released
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) today released new statistics on the numbers of children, men and women detained in Australia's immigration detention centres and in communtiy detention arrangements. Here's the lowdown:
- 1,079 children (aged under 18 years) in immigration detention. Of these;
- 551 were detained in the community under residence determinations
- 528 are in secure locked facilities (133 of these on Christmas Island).
- 4,255 adults are locked in detention and a further 1,049 are in community detention.
Statistics for the number of people held in each of the immigration detention centres are updated weekly and are available online.
No children in immigration detention centres
It is government policy that children will not be held in immigration detention centres.
While there will be occasions when children will be accommodated in low-security facilities within the immigration detention network, such as immigration residential housing, immigration transit accommodation and community detention, the priority will always be that children and their families will be promptly accommodated in community detention.
This allows children and their families to move about in the community and receive support from non-government organisations and state welfare agencies, as necessary.
Jan 20, 2012
Welcome, welcome, welcome
That is; welcome to asylum seekers, to refugees, to former refugees and a welcome to everyone checking out our spiffy new website.
This site has been a long time coming. Since the policy of locking up children is now around 15 years old in this country, at least its great that technology has advanced so much that even a little not-for-profit org like ChilOut can set up its own fab website (with thanks to Nang Ho and the help forums on Virb.com!) .
On this blog you will hear the voices of the ChilOut team, of children who have experienced immigration detention, of children who have arrived to Australia as refugees, young people who simply have a view on the treatment of their peers and people who visit those locked inside Australia's detention centres.
If you'd like to be a blog contributor, just get in touch with Sophie via [email protected]