MONITORING MECHANISMS OF PLACES WHERE CHILDREN ARE DEPRIVED OF THEIR LIBERTY REGULARITY OF VISITS The monitoring visits should ideally take place as regularly as possible; this does not necessarily mean frequently, but at least on a periodic basis. The regularity of the visits allows teams to know the places better, as well as the staff and the children and it helps to build a trusting relationship with them which is fundamental to establish a constructive dialogue with both of them, having due regard to their independence and impartiality. Children may find it particularly difficult to trust an unfamiliar adult and it will usually take time, sensitivity, flexibility and patience before a child feels that s/he can communicate freely. Visits will be much more effective in promoting sustained improvement in the conditions of deprivation of liberty and treatment of children if they take place on a regular and systematic basis. Furthermore, regular monitoring visits enable assessment of the evolution of practices (changes and improvements) and follow up of the degree of implementation of previously issued recommendations. However, occasional visits such as those performed by (national or EU) Parliamentarians or other bodies conducting informal monitoring visits are still efficient but their function is therefore more to observe and report rather than prevent. See – Section 4.1. / E. – p.51 POWERS OF INVESTIGATION / CAPACITY In order to be able to fully and properly perform their monitoring missions, monitoring team should have the capacity: ʺʺ To perform unannounced visits; ʺʺ To have access to all places where children are deprived of their liberty on a State’s territory and to all parts of the facility itself; ʺʺ To have access to all information and records about the treatment and conditions of deprivation of liberty including about all security and disciplinary measures for any child; ʺʺ To choose freely which places of deprivation of liberty to visit and which children to interview; ʺʺ To have access to all staff members; 33 3