Children in detention centres

Who would have thought that such a modern, informed caring multicultural country as Australia would be written into the history books for placing children in prison. One can follow the logic to stop people dying at sea in leaky boats, but I cannot see that a child is a potential risk to our society.
The RANZCP issued a media statement yesterday https://www.ranzcp.org/News-policy/News/Human-rights-report-proves-detention-harms-childre.aspx
which follows its 2012 position statement and its 9 page report to the investigation of children in detention.
It must be common sense surely to know that locking up children for long periods, sometimes indefinately, will cause harm in their developing minds. 30% incidence of psychiatric disorders has been quoted. Some of the reactions by children has been self harm and suicide attempts it seems. I suspect that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
It would seem to me that Australians uphold the concept of land of the free, a free childhood. Australian children are known to have a wonderful experience in Australia, outdoors, sports, beaches and political democracy. There is no war on our soil thank goodness.
We have child protection laws and agencies and NGOs that support children whose parents are ill, mentally ill, suffer from alcohol and drug addiction. We have supports in place for a range of mental illnesses for children. Thank goodness we do not have 30% incidence of mental illness in this country.
Thank goodness the children are now being placed in our community. Please lend them a hand, welcome them to Australia and look after them as they have suffered enough trauma in their tender lives.

Resilience

Where does one attain resilience? We talk about resilience as a factor of strength of character, strength of mind, body and thinking that protects us from trauma. Just like we can have an immune resilience there is a psychological resilience. Most of this research is related to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder but I think this is relevant to the whole of life's experiences.
Our parents and community can teach and model resiliency of course. Good parenting is teaching coping mechanisms, cognitive strategies and ego strength in the face of normal life problems. Rather than falling over becoming a major trauma for a baby, we lift him up and say- try again, you were doing so well.
I found Viktor Frankel and Bruno Bettelheim books on surviving and logotherapy useful narratives to help overcome severe trauma. These are dated but still relevant. Stories about how people overcome adversity are all around us but do not often get told in news flashes, so we miss out these uplifting accounts of the human capacity to endure and triumph.
We all have our own repertoire of course. Some take on a new activity, sport, education, community service. Some find support with friends and family. All these things require a transformation,, a new learning and a new position to take regarding yourself. Change is hard.
Resilience however gives us hope.