Children in detention report findings

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AUSTRALIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION REPORT ON CHILDREN IN DETENTION

* A royal commission to examine the long-term impact of detention on children's health; the reasons for continued use of the policy post-1992; remedies for breaches of children's rights

* Release all children and their families detained on Nauru by March 11, 2015

* Close detention centres on Christmas Island

* Process refugee applications by March 11, 2015; grant visas to refugees

* Appoint an independent guardian for unaccompanied children

* CCTV cameras installed in all detention centres

* Amend laws to allow detention of children for a limited period only to conduct health, identity and security checks

* Review the immigration department's use of force during transfer in the March 2014 incident

MAJOR FINDINGS:

* Detained children have higher rates of mental health disorders compared with children in the community

* Current and former immigration ministers agree that holding children for prolonged periods in remote detention centres does not deter people smugglers or asylum seekers

* Then immigration minister Scott Morrison failed to act in the best interests of unaccompanied children

* The Commonwealth's decision to use force to transfer children on Christmas Island to a different centre breached human rights

* At least 12 children born in immigration detention are stateless, and may be denied their right to nationality and protection

* Dozens of children with physical and mental disabilities have been detained for prolonged periods

* Children being detained indefinitely on Nauru are suffering extreme levels of physical, emotional, psychological and developmental distress

* Children held on Christmas Island have been denied the right to education for more than a year

* Numerous reports of assaults, sexual assaults and self-harm involving children indicate the danger of detention environment

(Source: The Forgotten Children, Australian Human Rights Commission)