A last resort? Teaching Resources Homepage

Teaching Notes and Activities:

• B-D-A: Reading A last resort?
  - the Summary Guide to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
• Getting to know the Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Useful Links and Resources
• Download the Resources

Learning About the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention

Since 1992, asylum seekers who arrive in Australia without a visa - both adults and children - have been subject to mandatory detention. In all but a few rare cases, their detention ends only when they are recognised as refugees and granted a protection visa or when they are removed from the country.

From 1999 the number of children in detention rose significantly and there was widespread community concern about their treatment.

The National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention was established to examine whether the laws requiring the detention of children and the treatment of children in immigration detention met Australia's obligations under international law, especially the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Teaching Resources for use in Australian Classrooms

To coincide with the launch of A last resort? – the Report of the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention, the Commission has released two activities which will assist students in accessing the Report and Summary Guide.

Click on the links below to access:

• B-D-A: Reading the A last resort? The Summary Guide to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention
• Getting to know the Convention on the Rights of the Child

Key Learning Areas

The A last resort? Education Resources will be useful in the following key learning areas:

• Studies of Society and Environment
• English (including ESL)
• Australian Studies
• Legal Studies
• Political Studies
• Civics and Citizenship

Learning Outcomes

Students will develop:

• an understanding of Australia's Immigration Detention Policy
• an understanding of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
• an understanding of issues concerning asylum seekers and refugees, particularly children who are seeking asylum in Australia
• analytical and research skills including internet research skills
• critical literacy skills, particularly in relation to representations of issues central to social, economic and political debate.

Additional Resources

When exploring issues relating to Refugees and Asylum Seekers in the classroom, teachers may wish to explore HREOC’s Face the Facts Education resources, which are available via the HREOC website at: http://www.humanrights.gov.au/info_for_teachers/face_facts/ref_rec.htm

Section 1 of Face the Facts provides students with basic information about refugees and asylum seekers and how they are treated in Australia. The print and web resources enable teachers to explore key current issues relating to 'unauthorised arrivals' or 'boat people', immigration detention and the so-called 'Pacific Solution'. Simple information is also provided to help students identify the reasons people become refugees and how the different ways they flee persecution impact on their treatment in Australia.