Stateless children consistently account for a significant number of minors held in immigration detention. Figure 8: Number of children in immigration detention: stateless children compared to non-stateless children, 2020–2025 Note: APODs refers to ‘Alternative Places of Detention’ approved in writing by the Minister or their delegate.66 APODs were originally devised as a more sensitive alternative for certain population groups with specific needs such as children and families however many such facilities replicate the closed and punitive physical environments of regular immigration detention centre facilities. In recent years, the Australian Government has utilised some hotels as APODs for primarily adult men returned from Manus Island, PNG, however the Commonwealth Ombudsman and Australian Human Rights Commission have found that hotels have been used for reasons unrelated to the needs of detainees, including to address overcrowding in government detention facilities.67 Community detention refers to a form of immigration detention under the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) where a person resides at a specified address in the community while remaining in legal detention, as opposed to being held in a detention facility. Conditions may include regular reporting to authorities and nightly curfews. 28 Peter McMullin Centre on Statelessness | Understanding Statelessness in Australia