Recommendations by the Joint Commission Gauting girls’ home has two segregation rooms which are referred to as time-out rooms. Only in exceptional cases is it necessary to use both rooms, which is why only one of the two rooms is constantly ready for use. It has a mattress with an elastic sheet and a blanket. The ceiling light is dimmable and daylight enters through the large window. There is no call system, but a member of the facility staff must be uninterruptedly in the adjacent duty room for as long as a girl is accommodated in the segregation room – also possibly over night. It is however not possible to see into the segregation room from the duty room. It should furthermore be noted that the window of the segregation room does not close flush with the wall. These two findings give rise to concern as to whether it is possible at all times to rule out suicidal acts by a girl accommodated there. The Joint Commission recommends that juveniles accommodated in this room during segregation be supervised uninterruptedly via direct supervision by an officer. The presence of a staff member in the adjacent duty room, possibly resting on the stretcher there, is not sufficient. Some of the therapists of Gauting girls’ home simultaneously act as head of department. This means a high workload, particularly when it comes to carrying out a dual role, which may cause problems especially in therapeutic terms. Only two special groups have an additional therapist of their own. In the other groups, because of the limited capacities, the therapists can only offer individual therapy sessions at longer intervals. A therapist for instance stated that she could only offer between 15 and up to a maximum of 45 minutes of individual therapy every two weeks. In order to separate the roles of head of department and therapist, and for a larger supply of individual therapy sessions, the Joint Commission recommends to increase the number of therapeutic staff. It should be possible to offer each girl an hour of individual therapy at least once per week. The juveniles accommodated in Gauting girls’ home can turn to the head of the home or the staff of the facility with concerns, but there is no external complaint facility. The Joint Commission recommends establishing an external complaint body, for instance in the shape of an ombudsman. Happily, this is already being discussed according to the head of the facility. 5.4.3 Würzburg Clearing Agency The Joint Commission visited Würzburg Clearing Agency on 29 November 2012. The Clearing Agency is responsible for children and juveniles aged from 10 to 15 with regard to whom a court order has been issued in accordance with section 1631b of the Civil Code. Furthermore, reception in the closed group can take place as a temporary measure in accordance with sections 42 and 43 of Book 77