Dear all

I'm writing this in a personal capacity, not as a representative of MSF.

I was very distressed by the 4 Corners programme showing the inhumane treatment of a 6-year old boy in detention. This child is now so depressed and traumatised by his detention experience that he no longer plays or talks - even to the point that he must be periodically re-hydrated with a drip in hospital because he no longer has the will to drink. Child psychologists attribute his condition to his having witnessed suicide attempts, beatings etc. during his detention.

The Government's solution has been to separate him from his family (a 6-year

old!) and place him in foster care in the community - tactily acknowleding that detention centres are indeed no place for a child.

If you are as outraged as I am, and thousands of others are, please log on to this website to sign the petition to Minister Ruddock urging that he re-consider this infamous bureacratic decision.

This is the first petition I have ever forwarded (apart from MSF's own one of course!), but this has really gone beyond what I consider acceptable as an Australian citizen.

Please consider.

Hi all,

The petition for this has now closed. They apparently got 5,000 signatures and 40,000 page downloads.

With any luck that ....., Ruddock, will get the message and take his head out of his ...... and look at what is happening in the world rather than just in his own ........

As a human services person the stuff that the Commonwealth is going on with about illegal migrants makes me really wild. The sheer arrogance and lack of humanity that our 'leaders' display is deeply shaming.

I would hope that our professional associations are making approaches to these people and letting them know that they are fundamentally and foolishly wrong in what they are doing. If not, then I strongly urge all of us to put the pressure on.

Thank you for voicing my personal anger and frustration. Association approaches are important but what about individual action as well? Any ideas?

Hi all

If you have not already seen it, you may be interested to know that there was a media release of a joint statement last week (17/8/01) from the Paediatrics & Child Health Division of the RACP, and the Faculty of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry of the College of Psychiatrists calling for the immediate review of the health needs of children in Australian detention centres.

An excerpt is below:-

"We are calling on the Government to undertake an independent, expert review of the situation at the earliest possible opportunity," the President of the RACP Paediatrics & Child Health Division, Dr Jill Sewell, said today.

"We are particularly concerned about these children, many of whom are born in detention, for their subsequent emotional development and for the effects of detention on the functioning of their families," echoed Dr Louise Newman, Chair of the RANZCP Faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

The Colleges believe that all children in Australia, regardless of circumstance, are entitled to live in a safe and free environment (in accordance with the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child), and advocate that, given appropriate supervision, children and their families be released into the community.

Internationally published evidence indicates that prolonged detention of children can be detrimental to their mental and physical health. And, as Dr Newman said, "like so many other childhood disorders, without timely detection and appropriate intervention the problems can only magnify in later life."

Hi,

Does anyone have the link to this? I would like to send the media release to the APS and see whether they ahev done or are planning to something similar.

Hi all,

I wonder how the AICAFMHA would feel about a position statement on this?

Also, I think that the only individual action that we have is emails and letters to our MP and the various ministers and opposition members.

Lobbying seems to be most effective if it comes from groups and associations. Is there a broad body of professional associations to do with mental health in young children, apart from the AICAFMHA, that can make strong and authoritative statements about this issue?

I would be keen to know how many subscribers to this list would support a statement condemning the actions of this minister in relation to treatment and detention of children of illegal migrants. Is this something the AICAFMHA could take up and pursue? Email a survey or put up a survey at your website? If the AICAFMHA is moderating this please let us know what you think.

Dear Alistair,

I think your suggestion for AICAFMHA is an excellent thing to do and seems to fall right in the ballpark of what AICAFMHA has the capacity and, I think, is meant to do - advocate in the best interests of mental health for ALL children and young people in this country. The question is: do we have the fortitude to step into that? I would be more than happy to put my name to such a statement, and to assist with editing a statement drafted by AICAFMHA board members.

Hi

I'd support it.

As a member of the AICAFMHA group I would be pleased to support the development of a mission statement on this.

I have attached the UNSW Centre for Refugee Research Policy Position as a good grounding for this.

Hi All;

Given the generally positive responses so far can I suggest;

1. That AICFMHA undertake to put a survey on their website to seek as broad a base of opinion from their membership on this issue as possible. It may be that a small working group needs to be convened in short term to develop say 5 questions to put to the membership. I would be happy to be involved in this.

2. That another working group get together urgently to produce a position statement on the issues of detention of children for endorsement by all members, individual and professional associations, as soon as possible.

I am afraid I have no clue as to the organisational structure of the AICAFMHA so perhaps it would be good if the executive could respond to this issue to the whole list so that we can identify a policy position.

Thanks to you all. I trust that the majority of Australians abhor the behaviour of our government in relation to this issue.. it is such a shame that we don't get to hear the opposite view stated clearly, confidently, and assertively.

All

Information about the AICAFMHA Executive is available at our website
which is at: http://www.aicafmha.net.au/

The issues raised in respect to this issue and suggested actions will
be given due consideration at our next Board of Directors Meeting
which will be held in the first week in September.

I will provide the list with the Board's position after that meeting.

Hi Alistair,

Dear Alistair et al

I commend your initiative and would be very happy to put my name to any petition, be part of a working party or help in any way I can re the issue of children and families in detention

This is the ABC's Lateline discussion about innovative ideas in welfare through social entrepreneurship.

It presents some different ways of trying to address common social issues.

Submissions are due on Nov 9 2001

To all,

I would be happy to put my name to and/or have some input into any iniative which addresses the issue of children and families held in detention. I am a project worker based in adult mental health in Melbourne working with families where a parent has a mental illness. I am appalled at our governments approach in 'dealing with' asylum seekers and feel sure that many of the adults who are fleeing their country of origin are experiencing major mental health problems. We are doing nothing it seems to assist them in this or to support their children as they watch it happen.

I would fully support as an individual. Have been advised not as a health department employee. Regards Annie Campbell ( Clinical Nurse Specialist Gascoyne Mental Health Service

I am pleased some thing is being done at your level, Phil. I am a lone voice hear in Carnarvon. I have on the association's list, but get a bit nervous when newspaper people have approached me on the mental health's position. I have been advised by my Professional Supervisor that I can't say or do anything as Government Employee. I was wanting the Rural and Remote Mental Health Managers to offer support, but it doesn't seem to be an issue they want to pursue. Regards Annie Campbell ( Clinical Nurse Specialist Gascoyne Mental Health Service

I too want to support such a statement.

Dear Penny,