It's one more problem for German Chancellor Angela Merkel as parties clash over refugee policy. Some in Chancellor Merkel's conservative bloc want new arrivals to prove their age. And their potential coalition partners say no way. CGTN's Guy Henderson reports from Berlin.

Without the help of Vera Lanvers — life for this 17 year old Afghan refugee and his flatmates would be a lot more difficult.

Lanvers' full-time job is to help unaccompanied minors start a new life in Germany.

Their age means they're each eligible for thousands of Euros-worth of support every month.

VERA LANVERS GUARDIAN FOR REFUGEE MINORS "Every young person who is under the age of 18 and has no parents gets a legal representative. In Berlin, we have the unique situation where there are all sorts of different types of legal reps. There are reps from groups like mine. And then individuals who do this on a voluntary basis. Caritas in Berlin got involved in this in a very early stage and started putting representatives in touch with children. We have about 200 voluntary representatives now."

In 2016, nearly 36,000 under-18s claimed asylum here. There are growing concerns some of them may be lying about their age to access care, or avoid deportation.

GUY HENDERSON BERLIN And just as Chancellor Angela Merkel tries to cobble together a coalition, the issue hit the headlines — after a young girl was murdered, allegedly by an Afghan refugee, who claimed he was 15 years old. The victims' parents said they wanted proof.

Some in Merkel's conservative bloc are calling for a medical age-test procedure — that has divided the German medical community, many of whom question its accuracy. The far right Alternative for Germany also backs the idea.

ALTERNATIVE FOR GERMANY "It's a really tremendous problem — because now in the eyes of the public, people are waking up and asking their politicians: How is it that so many people who obviously aren't minors, are treated like minors? Are given all the comfort and all the advantages as if they were children."

But it's strongly opposed by the Social Democrats — who's members are this week threatening to derail talks aimed at forming a new government: partly in protest over proposed refugee policy.

Lanvers prefers to take her young clients at their word. For now, officially — Germany does too. GH, CGTN, BERLIN.