Staff at Royal Children's Hospital refuse to discharge children if they are being returned to live in a detention centre.

Thank you.

Thank you to the women and men who work at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.

Thank you for standing up for the 197 asylum-seeker children that Australia is keeping behind bars.

Thank you for refusing to discharge these vulnerable children if they are being returned to live in a detention centre.

Thank you for acknowledging the physical and emotional damage they are suffering every day, while in our country’s care.

Thank you for making sure that the Australian community knows that these children will never recover if they have to continue to live our their childhoods behind bars.

Thank you for standing up to the Immigration Department who have tried to fight you.

Thank you for highlighting the ineptitude of the Immigration Minister, whose only answer to your concerns about the welfare of children is perverse rhetoric about ‘stopping the boats’.

Thank you for showing the rest of Australia that the brave actions of a few can change the lives of vulnerable children.

Thank you for being heroes to the asylum-seeker to the children in your care, and to the rest of us.

Thank you for your hope, your courage and your commitment.

Thank you for making a difference.

Thank you so very much.