122. In relation to the incarcerated parent, children have the right to regularly visit their parent(s), as long as it is in their best interests.243 To ensure that the child can exercise the right to visit his or her parent, it is recommended that the parent be detained in a facility close to the child.244 Again, in a case in which repatriation is involved, it is strongly encouraged that the parent and the child be repatriated together so that, even if the parent is detained, maintenance of family links remains likely. Wherever possible, visits to the incarcerated parent should be undertaken in a child-friendly environment. This includes visiting times that minimize the interference with the child’s life, such as non-school hours, and visit durations conducive to building or maintaining strong relationships.245 There should also be the possibility of visits outside the detention facility to facilitate parent–child bonding in a child-friendly environment.246 In cases in which the parent is detained far from the child’s location, there should be measures to address disadvantages caused by such a distance.247 That may include allowing alternative means of communicating, including through telephone, videoconference and other means of communication. 243 Ibid., paras 38–39. 244 Ibid., para. 40. 245 UNODC, Commentary to the Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-Custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules)(2011), available at www. unodc.org/documents/justice-and-prison-reform/Bangkok_ Rules_ENG_22032015.pdf (the Bangkok Rules Commentary), commentary on rule 26.1; Committee on the Rights of the Child, Report and Recommendations of the Day of General Discussion on “Children of Incarcerated Parents” (2011), para. 39. 246 Committee on the Rights of the Child, Report and Recommendations of the Day of General Discussion on “Children of Incarcerated Parents” (2011), para. 39. 247 General Assembly, resolution 65/229 (2010), Rules for the Treatment of Women Prisoners and Non-custodial Measures for Women Offenders (the Bangkok Rules), rule 26. 56. Example from the Netherlands— Maintaining family relations In the Netherlands, the Child Protection Board considers it important for children who are cared for outside prison to be allowed to maintain their relationships with their detained parent(s). To realize this, one possible measure is recording a mother reading a bed-time story and sending it to her child. The Dutch system allows a child to visit his or her parent in prison every week, accompanied by a family member or a guardian. Example from Tunisia—Preparation for separating a child from the mother in prison In Tunisia, in cases in which a child is to be received by his or her parent’s family, officers undertake several visits to the family members who are to receive the child before the child is removed from the mother in detention in order to ease the transition of the child from the prison to the outside world. In cases in which the child is to be received by a national institution, psychologists monitor the child’s psychological status.