–6– 117. Particular attention should always be paid to the health-care needs of female juveniles: access to gynaecologists and education on women’s health care should be provided. Pregnant juvenile girls and juvenile mothers in detention should receive appropriate support and medical care; as far as possible, alternatives to detention should be imposed. In this regard, the relevant standards on women deprived of their liberty which the CPT elaborated in its 10th General Report apply equally to detained female juveniles.3 118. Health-care staff should also play an active role in monitoring the quality and quantity of food. The juveniles’ nutritional state should be assessed through, inter alia, drawing up a growth chart for those juveniles who are still in the growth phase. e. staffing issues 119. The custody and care of juveniles deprived of their liberty is a particularly challenging task. It should be taken into account that many of them have suffered physical, sexual or psychological violence. The staff called upon to fulfil this task should be carefully selected for their personal maturity, professional integrity and ability to cope with the challenges of working with – and safeguarding the welfare of – this age group. More particularly, steps should be taken to ensure the regular presence of specialised educators, psychologists and social workers in detention centres for juveniles. They should be committed to working with young people, and be capable of guiding and motivating them. With a view to avoiding a prison-like environment, staff working in direct contact with juveniles should as a rule not carry batons, incapacitating sprays or other means of restraint. The practice observed by the CPT in a number of juvenile detention centres of custodial staff not wearing a prison uniform is to be encouraged. Mixed-sex staffing can have a beneficial effect in terms of the custodial ethos and foster a more caring and relaxed atmosphere. 120. All staff, including those with custodial duties, who are in direct contact with juveniles should receive professional training, both during induction and on an ongoing basis, and benefit from appropriate external support and supervision in the exercise of their duties. Particular attention should be given to staff training in the management of violent incidents, especially in verbal deescalation to reduce tension and professional restraint techniques. 121. It is the responsibility of the establishments’ administration to take special precautions to protect juveniles from all forms of abuse, including sexual or other kinds of exploitation. Staff members should be alert to signs of bullying (including physical and sexual assault, verbal abuse, extortion, and theft of other juveniles’ belongings) and should know how to respond accordingly and adopt a pro-active attitude to prevent such incidents from occurring. f. contact with the outside world 122. The active promotion of good contact with the outside world can be especially beneficial for juveniles deprived of their liberty, many of whom may have behavioural problems related to emotional deprivation or a lack of social skills. Every effort should be made to ensure that all juvenile inmates are afforded the possibility to have contact with their families and other persons from the moment they are admitted to the detention centre. The concept of family should be interpreted liberally, so as to include contacts with persons with whom the juvenile has established a relationship comparable to that of a family member, even if the relationship has not been formalised. For the purpose of their social integration, juveniles should as far as possible also be allowed regular periods of leave (either escorted or alone). 3 See CPT/Inf (2000) 13, paragraphs 26 to 33.