The Uniting Church has written to the Government offering unaccompanied minors on Christmas Island safe accommodation, in a bid to prevent them from ending up on Nauru.

Nauru. Photo by Dept Immigration and Border Protection.

“Nauru is a totally unsuitable place for children. It’s a very harsh, brutal environment and we believe we can do better than this and we are offering to take those children into our care,” National Director of UnitingJustice, Elenie Poulos told Eternity.

“We have an extensive range of services around the country and they’re ready and waiting, people with enormous expertise in caring for vulnerable children. We’re offering the best of care.”

The Uniting Church says it made the offer when it received information that children without parents being detained on Christmas Island are being scheduled for imminent deportation to offshore facilities on Nauru. There have been news reports suggesting some minors have already been taken to Nauru and or/Manus Island in recent months.

The Church wrote to the Government on Monday. Elenie Poulos says they’ve heard from the Government, but there’s been no decision made as yet.

“The Government has told us they will respond to our request, but not immediately,” she said.

“What we are asking for is from their point of view is a change of policy and that these things aren’t easy. However, the Government and in particular the minister has responsibility for these children without parents and has an obligation to act in their best interests.”

** STORY UPDATE AT 7.15PM 4th MARCH:

ABC is reporting that the Immigration Minister Scott Morrison has rejected the Uniting Church’s proposal in a statement this evening, saying no exemptions would be made for people on Christmas Island. Doing so, he said, would create incentives for people smugglers to put children on boats.

“He says the most dangerous place for a child to be is on a boat journey to Australia,” the ABC reports.