Commission Website: National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
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Submission to the National
Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention from
Social Action Committee (SAC)
of the Conference Leaders of Religious Congregations of Victoria (CLRCV)
We, the Social Action
Committee of the CLRCV, wish to make a submission to the National Inquiry
into Children in Immigration Detention. Our message is simple. We believe
that immigration detention is profoundly bad for children.
Many of the members
of the religious orders which belong to the CLRCV have many years of experience
working with children in health, education, welfare and other fields.
We know that for children to thrive, they need to be safe, secure and
loved. We know from reports from members of our religious orders who visit
the immigration detention centres, that they are not places that promote
for children a sense of safety, security and love.
We ask the Inquiry
to recommend that children spend an absolute maximum of two weeks in secure
detention while their health and the identity of their families is checked.
We ask the Inquiry to recommend that children, in the company of at least
one parent, be released into the community where they can begin the process
of healing after the trauma they have faced on their difficult journeys
to Australia. We ask the Inquiry to recommend that children be supported
through access to appropriate education and health care by Government
agencies while they await decisions affecting their future and that of
their families.
Signed: Social
Action Committee, CLRCV
Sr Margaret Cassidy,
Sr Catherine Kelly, CSB cathrins@cyberspace.net.au
Sr Joan Power, PBVM jpower@netspace.net.au
Br Brian Bond, CFC bpbond@spp.edmundrice.org
Br Matthew Beckman, OFM vocations@franciscans.org.au
Br Dennis Cooper, FMS dencoops@maristmelb.org.au
Sr Marie Kehoe, RSM mariek@mercy.org.au
Sr Kathleen Spokes, SGS kspokes@bigpond.com
Ms Kathryn Boyle, Columban Mission kboyle55@hotmail.com
Last
Updated 9 January 2003.