- 57 The CPT recommends that that the Greek authorities take steps to ensure that all detained persons who claim to be juveniles have access to a proper age assessment procedure and be treated as such until proven otherwise, unless their claim is manifestly unfounded. Further, practical solutions should be found to assist them in proving their age and reduce bureaucratic obstacles. 130. In its 2016 visit report, the CPT was also critical of the routine detention of children, including infants and babies, with their parents and recommended that this practice be ended. However, no action had been taken by the Greek authorities in this respect. The delegation’s findings in the course of its April 2018 visit to police establishments in the Evros region clearly show that children were still routinely being detained with their parents in police and border guard stations and in Fylakio Pre-removal Centre upon arrival. Due to the increase in arrivals in that region, children could be deprived of their liberty for several days or even for some weeks until their transfer to Fylakio RIC, where they still remained in detention. In all these places, no efforts were made to accommodate the specific needs of children. 131. The CPT must reiterate that the detention of children with their parents in police detention facilities – be it police and border guard stations, pre-removal centres or RICs – can have a negative psychological effect on the child’s development and well-being, particularly when the child is young. The Committee has repeatedly stressed that if, exceptionally, children are held with their parents by the police, their stay should be for the shortest possible period of time. Every effort should be made to avoid splitting up the family. The current practice of routinely detaining children with their parents in police establishments upon their arrival in the Evros region and until their transfer to Fylakio RIC for days or weeks on end is unacceptable and should be stopped forthwith. The CPT calls upon the Greek authorities to end the routine detention of children with their parents in police establishments upon arrival. Instead, they should be transferred to suitable reception facilities capable of catering to their specific needs. 7. Other issues 132. The numbers of police staff were clearly insufficient at Fylakio Pre-removal Centre, where only 5 police officers were on duty during each of the three daily shifts for 421 detained persons. This impacted negatively on the staff’s ability to provide secure and safe conditions for detainees and cater to their needs (taking into account that the facility also held families and children). Indeed, the delegation received many complaints by detained persons that police staff did not respond to their requests and that they had either no or only restricted access to outdoor exercise. Further, the staff themselves said that they felt overwhelmed. In the CPT’s view, lack of staffing cannot be a justification for not providing appropriate treatment for irregular migrants. In the light of these remarks, the CPT recommends that the Greek authorities increase the staffing levels at Fylakio Pre-removal Centre.