VISITS TO RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT INSTITUTIONS, YOUTH HOMES AND THE SPECIAL EDUCATION, WORK AND CARE CENTRE adjusting, harmonising and agreeing on operating and thus a departure from effective working with adolescents. The commendations submitted by the NPM during this visit refer to prompt solving of problems and complaints by children and adolescents, the individualised approach and positive orientation of childcare workers who discuss every child or adolescent as an individual and enable their own rate of progress, and the operating of parents groups, which enable interaction between parents and childcare workers which further contributes to the attainment of set objectives. We were excited about the positive atmosphere and establishment of a good mutual assistance system between adolescents from residential groups Črnuška gmajna, Kokos and Zeleni tir, and encourage the maintenance of good mutual relations. At the end of 2018, we paid regular visits to Veržej Educational Home and Logatec Education and Training Institution. Regular visits to the residential group of the latter institution in Postojna and the intensive group in Planina were made separately, including a control visit to Smlednik Education Institution18 and thematic visits to four institutions (the Slivnica Unit of Maribor Youth Home, Črna na Koroškem Special Education, Work and Care Centre, Višnja Gora Educational Institution and Kranj Residential Treatment Institution) intended to examine material conditions for studying and working of children and adolescents residing in these institutions. At previous visit to institutions implementing educational programmes, the NPM found poor conditions for studying and working of children and adolescents several times. We thus decided to examine the size of, and lighting in, rooms and working surfaces, the condition of furniture and other material conditions affecting the work and studying of children and adolescents. Eleven primary school pupils and fifteen secondary school students were present during the visit to the Slivnica Unit of Maribor Youth Home. They were all attending educational programmes outside the institution, i.e. primary and secondary schools in Maribor, Slivnica and Slovenska Bistrica. Every educational group has a table or several tables placed together in a common living area where they eat, socialise, study and work for school. Furniture is old and dilapidated. There are not enough chairs for all children and adolescents in one educational group. Rooms lack sufficient daylight, so on sunny days they also work and study with lights on. Three computers are available for all children and adolescents in the institution. Črna na Koroškem Special Education, Work and Care Centre (unlike other visited institutions which operate under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, this one operates under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities) implements an adapted programme for preschool children and a special educational programme for children, adolescents and young adults with moderate, severe and profound mental disabilities and children with several disabilities. The special educational programme is attended by young adults until the age of 26, i.e. in a form of day care or whole-day care. During the visit, 18 children and adolescents were present; on average, 5 to 6 in every individual group. Three classrooms are available for the activities of the special educational programme. They also use a computer room, a music room, a training kitchen, a gym, and a reading room. When the weather is nice, some lessons take place outdoors and in nature. The institution also lacks space in classrooms where the special educational programme takes place. Classrooms are small, and each student has a small area of working surface available. The classroom we examined was equipped with a sufficient number of desks and chairs, but it felt cramped. There was little daylight, and lights must be on for the most part during the daytime. Višnja Gora Educational Institution accommodates and educates adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 with problems while growing up and in development. Lessons take place in the main building of the institution in modern and well-equipped classrooms. Adolescents can work and study in common areas or in their rooms. Rooms are suitably equipped with desks and desk lamps for each adolescent. There is also sufficient daylight in the rooms. Kranj Residential Treatment Institution educates children and adolescents with behavioural and emotional disorders. It consists of five residential groups which can accept 40 children and adolescents aged between 7 and 18. During the visit to the residential group in Kranj, eight children and adolescents stayed there who were attending educational programmes outside the institution. A common living area is located on the first floor of the residential group where children and adolescents do their homework and study with the help of a childcare worker. There is also a computer in this room which may be used 18 T  he reports are still being drafted, so we cannot report about them yet. 46 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2018 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT