DEFENCE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL (DCI) - Belgium | Practical Guide 4.1. Developing a monitoring strategy � UNDERSTAND THE OVERALL CONTEXT OF CHILDREN’S DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY � DEFINE CLEAR MONITORING OBJECTIVES � SET AN OVERALL TIMEFRAME FOR THE MONITORING PROGRAMME � SELECT PLACES WHERE CHILDREN ARE DEPRIVED OF THEIR LIBERTY TO VISIT � DEFINE THE NATURE, DURATION AND FREQUENCY OF THE MONITORING VISITS � DESCRIBE THE MONITORING TEAM � ADOPT ETHICAL GUIDELINES AND CHILD PROTECTION POLICY � GET INFORMATION ABOUT, COMMUNICATE AND COOPERATE WITH OTHER VISITING BODIES Each monitoring body should establish a monitoring strategy. From the very beginning, the monitoring strategy must put the child, his/her rights, needs and specificities as the centre of its objectives. A. UNDERSTANDING THE OVERALL CONTEXT OF CHILDREN’S DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY To understand the general context in which children’s deprivation of liberty occurs, monitors shall conduct research to gather all available information concerning the legal, social and political context of deprivation of liberty of children of the State concerned and the most recent available statistics on the matter. Important elements to consider are: ʺʺ The international (legal) framework composed of: international instruments ratified by the State concerned in terms of deprivation of liberty for children See – Section 1.2. – p.17; recommendations issued by the Treaty bodies in their reports; general comments or conclusions regarding the deprivation of liberty of children, the CPT’s Standards and reports, the ECHR’s jurisprudence See – Section 4.1. / H. – p.58 & Annex 4. – p.162; ʺʺ The national legal framework of the deprivation of liberty of children (who may be deprived of liberty, at what age, for what reasons, by whom, in what kind of facility(s), for how long; etc.) See – Section 2.1. – p.23; ʺʺ The policy Guidelines of the deprivation of liberty for children in the country and the recent policy developments in this area; ʺʺ Examine possible conflicts between local or national regulations, Guidelines or policies and international standards. 48