Children in Barwon Prison

In 2016 we partnered with the Human Rights Law Centre to successfully litigate on behalf of minors held in Barwon maximum security adult prison in the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Full Court of the Supreme Court of Victoria that their detention and the decision making underpinning it was unlawful. The children we acted for had been placed in lock down for upwards of 20 hours per day, had been unable to access lawyers, had not had contact with family, and were no longer receiving schooling or programs. The case argued that the Government acted unlawfully in sending children to Barwon, had failed to act in the best interests of children in its care, and was in breach of the Victorian Charter of Human Rights. The placement of children in Barwon prison was the subject of four separate proceedings. Each was successful, with the ultimate result that children have been removed from Barwon Prison.