11 April 2025
Media release
New report gives recommendations on protecting children in watch houses
A new report, Detention of a child in a watch house, issued today by the Queensland Human Rights Commission is calling for increased protection of children held in watch houses.
The Commission has undertaken an extensive review after a complaint was made by a 16-year-old boy who was detained in a watch house in Queensland for 28 days. The allegations included a lack of access to fresh air, exercise and natural light; exposure to noise; insufficient changes of clothes; insufficient bedding; and failure to be reviewed by a health clinician.
The report finds that the allegations indicate a limitation of the complainant’s rights to protection as a child, privacy and humane treatment when deprived of liberty, among others, and discusses factors relevant to assessing whether the limitations are justified.
The allegations demonstrate that watch houses do not meet the standards necessary to safely and humanely accommodate children.
While maintaining its position that children should not be held in watch houses for longer than 24 hours, the Commission has made 10 recommendations within the power of the Queensland Police Service and the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, to support the humane treatment of children detained in watchhouses.
These recommendations include:
- Developing minimum standards relating to children in watch house custody;
- Ensuring minimum standards and complaints processes are explained to children on admission and displayed, for example, on an infographic poster that is visible to children at all times.
- Proactively monitoring minimum standards, and meeting shortfalls without requiring a child to make a complaint,
- Publishing youth justice policy in relation to the management of children in watch houses;
- Training for watch house officers and staff on the minimum standards, and additional specialised training on working with and meeting the needs of children for relevant officers and staff.
Finally, the Commission acknowledges that the Queensland Police Service are currently undertaking a review of watch house operations in Queensland. This review is an important opportunity to consider how watch house practices can better align with human rights, particularly the rights to humane treatment when deprived of liberty, the protection of children, and the right to equality and non-discrimination. We look forward to the outcomes of this review and the potential for positive reform.
Quotes attributed to Queensland Human Rights Commissioner, Scott McDougall:
“Watch houses are not a place for children. The allegations in this report are concerning, and indicate a lack of protection, privacy and humane treatment for young people held in watch houses."
“Lengthy periods of detention in watch houses, which are not designed or intended to hold children and indeed are only meant to hold adult detainees for limited amounts of time, will not result in rehabilitated children on release long-term."
“The recommendations made in this report are urgently needed to be actioned, to ensure that any children held in watch houses receive humane treatment and access to their basic rights.”
- ENDS
Media Contacts
QHRC Media
Email: comms@qhrc.qld.gov.au
Phone: 0407 657 411