- 54 6. Children in immigration detention 121. The CPT has repeatedly examined the situation of foreign national children in immigration detention in Greece. In its report on the 2016 visits, it was highly critical of their continued and routine detention for lengthy periods in poor conditions and with insufficient care offered to them. The CPT stressed that, as a matter of principle, any form of deprivation of liberty may have a detrimental effect on the physical and/or mental well-being of unaccompanied children, given their particular vulnerability. It urged the Greek authorities to fundamentally review their approach with regard to “protective custody” of unaccompanied children and end their immigration detention.83 122. Regrettably, and despite the commitment voiced at ministerial level to engage significant efforts in increasing shelter capacities so as to reduce the recourse to deprivation of liberty, no action has been taken to fundamentally change this situation. On the contrary, the situation has become even more acute than it already was in 2016. As of 31 May 2018, out of the estimated number of 3,500 unaccompanied children currently in Greece, less than 1,000 were accommodated in dedicated shelter facilities. In the year prior to the visit, no additional shelter places have been created and the funding problems for shelters provided by civil society organisations have put about half of these places at risk of being closed. As a result, the number of unaccompanied and separated children on the waiting list has soared to more than 2,700.84 367 of them were held in RICs and a peak of 200 children was detained in “protective custody”, which shows that the CPT’s previous recommendations have not been implemented. Unaccompanied children continue to be routinely, and for lengthy periods, detained in police stations, special holding facilities, pre-removal centres, and RICs, at the time of the CTP’s April 2018 visit. That said, in their communication of 3 July 2018, the Hellenic Police re-affirmed that the issue of unaccompanied children was a matter of special concern. Its Headquarters had long requested the establishment of a national strategy for the management of unaccompanied children, the reform of the institution of guardianship and the creation of more specialised shelters for unaccompanied children but all these matters were still pending implementation in practice. Further, a communication by the European Commission of May 2018 indicated that a call for proposals for shelter places was currently underway. Offers were reportedly received for 1,785 accommodation places and a number of contracts have been signed by the Greek authorities. According to the European Commission, more efforts were nevertheless required to put a sustainable national system in place. The CPT reiterates its previous recommendation that the Greek authorities pursue their efforts to increase significantly and rapidly the number of dedicated open (or semi-open) shelter facilities for unaccompanied children. The Committee would like to receive concrete information on the Greek authorities’ plans to create additional capacity in specialised shelter facilities as well as on the funding and expected timeline. 83 84 See the report on the CPT’s 2016 visits (CPT/Inf (2017) 25), paragraph 35. Only some 800 unaccompanied children have been accommodated in open temporary accommodation facilities, safe zones and in hotels. Over 700 were reported to be homeless. See National Centre for Social Solidarity (E.K.K.A.), Situation Update: Unaccompanied Children (UAC) in Greece, 31 May 2018.