As you will have seen, the immigration detention of children continues to be in the news so we wanted to update you on what has been happening.
In the same week that The Guardian reported the government plans to dilute its pledge to end the immigration detention of children, Medical Justice released a report documenting further the damaging effects of the practice. Evidence from 141 cases over a period of six years showed that just over half the children experienced psychological distress and displayed symptoms such as bedwetting, heightened anxiety, food refusal and self-harm, including three girls who tried to take their own lives. Additionally, 92 children suffered physical health problems (e.g. fever, abdominal pain, coughing blood), which were either caused or exacerbated by their detention. Fifty of these children did not receive adequate healthcare or treatment for these problems. Continue reading “OutCry! campaign – Latest news”