ALARM Over Childrens’ Injuries/Self-Harm/Neglect in Australian Overcrowded Cells

[Ladybbird]

Cairns Watch House Worker Sounds Alarm Over Massive Deterioration in Childrens’ Physical and Mental Health

Exclusive: anonymised notes reveal concerns about horrendous injuries, self-harm, security incidents and sickness in overcrowded cells

The Guardian Australia 27 JAN 2024





A Cairns watch house worker has detailed serious concerns for children who have been kept in the adult lockup for extended periods.


A child locked in the Cairns police watch house is self-harming by banging his head against the cell walls.


Anonymised notes about more than a dozen children in the far north Queensland watch house last week, seen by Guardian Australia, detail concerns about sickness spreading in the overcrowded cells, injuries and serious security incidents.

Some of the children have been held there for so long – up to 20 days and counting – that support workers have raised alarm about a “massive deterioration” in their physical and mental health, and requested they be taken to hospital.

The situation inside the Cairns police watch house in recent weeks has been described as “horrendous”, including by a senior psychologist who sent a “cry for help” letter detailing allegations of young people not being provided adequate food, medical attention or legal support.

The notes contain no identifying information. They were written by a worker on 19 January and relate to the cohort of 13 young people in the cells on that day.

All had been there for at least six days. Four of the cohort had been in the adult lockup for more than two weeks. It is understood 10 are still there due to a lack of available beds in youth detention centres.

In the notes, the worker details serious concerns about young people who have been in the watch house for an extended period.

“Massive deterioration in the health and mental health for the [young people] with long stays,” the worker’s notes say.

There have been “multiple referrals to [a mental health service], multiple requests for young people to be taken to hospital or see the nurse”.

Two of the young people suffered severe cuts “prior to and during their arrest”, requiring surgery. They were then taken back to the watch house and are receiving “continued medical attention”.

One young person “has a minor head injury due to self-harming behaviours”. Three young people contracted the flu from one another. Another required assessment at the hospital for a medical condition.

The notes also detail an incident that occurred within the watch house that was reported in local media as a prisoner setting fire to a blanket.


“Somehow the boys got access to the female wing and were given a lighter that was smuggled in by a female juvenile. After this the boys then lit a fire in their cell … and it was very concerning.”