Thursday 30 May 2002

The AEU submission draws upon the experiences of AEU members who deal daily with the consequences of detaining children in Department of Immigration Centres.

AEU Federal President, Denis Fitzgerald, said:

"Refugee children have already suffered so much before their arrival in Australia. They have left their homes, and often their families, having endured unimaginable horrors. Tragically this trauma has been compounded by their experiences in Australian detention centres."

"Children in detention have witnessed the desperate acts of depressed adults and in some cases have emulated adult behaviour. Children live in a climate of fear and uncertainty, not knowing what their future holds."

"The standard of education offered to them by private providers is minimal and often provides a broad-brush approach for children with a wide array of significant psychological and educational needs. If the children are eventually released from detention, they are ill-equipped to cope with the culture shock of integrating into an Australian society which they know nothing about."

"The AEU puts forward a simple 3 point solution:

1. Asylum seeker children should be released into the community to live with their parents with appropriate support and services, including education, counselling, welfare and health.
2. State governments have already indicated that they would provide the resources to public schools and TAFE colleges to assist them to accommodate the special needs of refugee children.
3. Members of the teaching profession in public education, with considerable experience in dealing with a range of cultures and languages, will take care of these children and build hope into their lives."