ERA – Academy of European Law > The rights of the child in practice: furthering child-friendly justice in European law

Training materials

Training materials
Seminar materials
Audio podcasts
Videos

The training materials consist of concise texts suitable for training purposes, PowerPoint presentations as well as case studies (with possible solutions) and further interactive exercises (e.g. role plays) for use during practical workshops. The following areas related to the rights of the child have been covered:

Session 1:
General principles and basic instruments on protecting child’s rights in the international and European context in justice settings

Materials developed by Ms Rebecca O’Donnell, Barrister, Child rights and child protection advisor, O’Donnell & Lind, Brussels

General introduction
Introduction to child rights
- Child rights in the context of child-friendly justice
- The actors involved in child-friendly justice and achieving a multi-disciplinary approach
Conclusions and beginning of group discussion
Key EU law resources available to support its implementation and application: an introduction
Child rights at EU level
- In what areas does EU play a role which affects children?
- What types of action may the EU take?
- Some illustrations of practical measures in the area of child-friendly justice
Types of EU legislative provisions relevant to child-friendly justice
Recent jurisprudence
Key tools
Conclusions and beginning of discussion

Workshop materials

Case scenario
Supporting notes for moderators

Click here for the PDF version of the complete Session 1 materials.

Session 2:
Ensuring effective participation: the right to be heard

Materials developed by Dr Aisling Parkes, Lecturer in Law and EBCL Programme Director, University College Cork

Conceptual background to Art. 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 (CRC)
Why listen to children?
Nature and scope of Art. 12 CRC
Art. 12 CRC in practice
- Family law proceedings
- Criminal law proceedings
- Administrative proceedings
Common barriers to participation in practice
Sharing experiences about how to implement Art. 12 CRC in practice

Workshop materials

Case study I: Family law proceedings
- Case scenario
- Solution
Case study II: Administrative proceedings
- Case scenario
- Solution

Click here for the PDF version of the complete Session 2 materials.

Session 3:
Best practice guidelines for interacting with children in legal situations

Materials developed by Ms Ankie Vandekerckhove, Independent Children’s Rights Advisor, Ghent

The Council of Europe (CoE) guidelines on child-friendly justice: an introduction
- What is at stake?
- The child-friendly justice guidelines
- Fundamental principles and main content
- Scheme of the guidelines
- Case law and good practices
Organisation of the proceedings: child-friendly environment and child-friendly language
- Case law and good practices
Evidence / statements by children
- Case law and good practices
What did children and young people say?
Discussion

Best practices in communicating with children in legal proceedings

How to work and communicate with children? Suggestions and caveats
Background material and inspiring practices

Workshop materials

Case discussions
Role-play scenarios

Click here for the PDF version of the complete Session 3 materials.

These training materials have been produced with the financial support of the specific programme ‘Fundamental Rights and Citizenship‘ JUST-2013-FRAC-AG of the European Commission. The contents of these materials are the sole responsibility of ERA and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Commission.

Seminar materials in English (EN)

Seminar in Vilnius, 16-17 September 2015 (115DT100)

Speakers’ contributions
- Rebecca O’Donnell:
  General Principles & basic instruments on protecting child rights in justice settings in the international and European context
  Workshop I: Case study on trafficked child: the interplay of criminal and child protection laws
- Aisling Parkes:
  Ensuring Effective Participation: The Child’s Right to be Heard
  Workshop II
  Ensuring Effective Participation, Part 2: Involvement of the Child in
  Legal Proceedings
  Workshop III
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  Best practice guidelines for interacting with children in legal situations
Seminar in Bucharest, 7-8 December 2015 (115DT101)

Speakers’ contributions & workshop materials
- Simona Franguloiu:
  Child-friendly justice: an introduction based on scenarios of children participating in judicial proceedings
  Guide to interviewing minors
- Helen Stalford:
  Furthering the best interests of the child in European law
  Workshop I: Case study on trafficked child-the interplay of criminal and child protection laws
- Aisling Parkes:
  Ensuring Effective Participation: The Children´s Right to be Heard
  Workshop II: case studies on the child´s direct and indirect participation in legal proceedings
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  Best practice guidelines for interacting with children in legal situations
  Workshop III: Role-playing exercises and cases on interacting with children in different legal situations
- Simona Maria Vladica:
  Best practices in communicating with children in legal proceedings
Seminar in Zagreb. 19-20 November 2015 (115DT102)

Speakers’ contributions & workshop materials
- Lana Petö Kujundžic:
  The difference between legislation and reality in judicial proceedings concerning crimes against children
  Juvenile law Juveniles
- Rebecca O´Donnell:
  General Principles & Basic Instruments on Protecting Child Rights in Justice Settings in the International & European Context
  Workshop I
- Aisling Parkes:
  Ensuring Effective Participation: The Children’s Right to be Heard
  Workshop II
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  Best practice guidelines for interacting with children in legal situations
  Workshop Material III
- Gordana Buljan Flander:
  Best practices in communicating with children in legal proceedings
Seminar in Dublin, 11-12 February 2016 (116DT08)

Speakers’ contributions & workshop materials
- Wouter Vandenhole:
  Child-Friendly Justice: an Introduction based on scenarios of children participating in judicial proceedings
- Rebecca O´Donnell:
  Furthering ‘the best interest of the child’ in European law
  Workshop I
- Aisling Parkes:
  The right to be heard: a general principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- Aisling Parkes & Sarah-Jane Judge:
  Workshop II
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  The Council of Europe Guidelines on child-friendly justice
  Workshop III
- Domagoj Stimac:
  Best practices in communicating with children in legal proceedings
Seminar in Krakow, 5-6 May 2016 (416DT10)

Speakers’ contributions & workshop materials
- Dariusz Mazur:
  Child-friendly justice: an introduction based on scenarios of children participating in judicial proceedings
- Simona Florescu:
  Furthering ‘the best interest of the child’ in European law
  Workshop I
- Aisling Parkes:
  The right to be heard: a general principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- Aisling Parkes & Sylwia Jastrzemska:
  Workshop II
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  The Council of Europe Guidelines on child-friendly justice
  Workshop III
- Teresa Jaskiewicz-Obydzinska:
  Best practices in communicating with children in legal proceedings
Seminar in Barcelona, 2-3 June 2016 (416DT11)

Speakers’ contributions & workshop materials
- Jorge Jiménez Martin:
  Child-friendly justice: an introduction based on scenarios of children participating in judicial proceedings
  Workshop materials
- Aida Grgic:
  Furthering ‘the best interest of the child’ in European law
  Workshop materials
- Aisling Parkes:
  The right to be heard: a general principle of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
  Workshop materials
- María Dolores Viñas Maestre:
  Workshop materials
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  The Council of Europe Guidelines on child-friendly justice
  Workshop materials
- María Ribas Siñol & Noemí del Prado Sánchez:
  Best practices in communicating with children in legal proceedings
  Workshop materials

Seminar materials in Croatian (HR)

Zagreb, 19.–20. studenoga 2015. (115DT102)

Prilozi predavaca
- Lana Peto Kujundžic:
  Razlika izmedu propisa i stvarnosti u sudovanju u kaznenim djelima na štetu djece
  Maloljetnicko pravo
- Rebecca O’Donnell:
  Opca Nacala I Osnovni Instrumentiza Zaštitu Prava Djece U Sudbenim Okruženjimau U Medunarodnomi I Eurooskom Kontekstu
  I. radionica. Analiza slucaja djeteta žrtve trgovanja ljudima: uzajamno djelovanje kaznenih zakona i zakona za zaštitu djeteta
- Aisling Parkes:
  Pravo na saslušanje: opce nacelo Konvencije Ujedinjenih naroda o pravima djeteta (KPD)
  II. Radionica: Analize slucajevas djetetom kao posrednim ili neposrednim sudionikom u sudskim postupcima
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  Smjernice Vijeca Europe za pravosude prilagodeno djeci
  III. Radionica: Vježbe igranja uloga i primjeri interakcijes djecom u razlicitim slucajevima
- Gordana Buljan Flander:
  Najbolje prakse komuniciranja s djecom u sudskim postupcima

Seminar materials in French (FR)

Paris, 3-4 mars 2016 (416DT09)

Contributions des intervenants
- Sylvain Barbier Sainte-Marie :
  Une justice adaptée aux enfants : introduction sur la base d’exemples d’implications d’enfants dans des procédures judiciaires
  Article : La traite des êtres humains et la délinquance des mineurs de l’Europe de l’Est : l’exemple parisien
- Jacques Fierens :
  La protection de « l’intérêt supérieur de l’enfant » dans le droit européen
- Sylvain Barbier Sainte-Marie & Jacques Fierens :
  Atelier I
- Jean-Pierre Rosenczveig :
  Le droit de l’enfant d’être entendu : un principe de base de la Convention des Nations Unies relative aux droits de l’enfant (CNUDE)
  Atelier II
- Ankie Vandekerckhove :
  Lignes directrices du Conseil de l’Europe sur une justice adaptée aux enfants
  Atelier III
- Sonia Benbelaid-Cazenave :
  Bonnes pratiques sur la communication avec les enfants dans une procédure judiciaire

Seminar materials in German (DE)

Trier, 14.-15. November 2016 (416DT12)

Referentenbeiträge und Workshop Materialien
- Helmut Sax:
  Kindgerechte Justiz: eine Einführung zu Grundlagen, Anwendungsformen und praxisrelevanten Ansätzen
  Workshop I: Fallstudie zu einem Opfer des Kinderhandels: das Zusammenspiel von Strafrecht und Kinderschutzgesetzen
- Astrid Podsiadlowski:
  Kindgerechte Justiz: Förderung der Teilhabe von Kindern im europäischen Recht und ihre Umsetzung
  Sichtweise von Kindern vs. Sichtweise von Fachkräften
- Eberhard Carl:
  Gewährleistung einer wirksamen Beteiligung von Kindern: Das Recht der Kinder, gehört zu werden
  Leitlinien des UN-Ausschusses für die Rechte des Kindes
  Wichtige Fragen, die für Kinder und Jugendliche bei Trennung und Scheidung der Eltern regelungsbedürftig sein können
  Checkliste Kindesanhörung
  Einladungsbrief für ein jüngeres Kind (ab etwa 6 Jahre) bei einem Streit um das Sorge-und Aufenthaltsbestimmungsrecht oder das Umgangsrecht
  Workshop II: Fallstudie zur Beteiligung des Kindes am Gerichtsverfahren
  Mittelbare und unmittelbare Beteiligung des Kindes am Gerichtsverfahren
  Rechtsquellen zum Recht der Kinder, gehört zu werden
- Sabine Brieger:
  Leitlinien zu bewährten Verfahren für die Interaktion mit Kindern in rechtlichen Situationen
  Workshop III : Interaktion mit Kindern in unterschiedlichen rechtlichen Situationen
- Renate Volbert:
  Bewährte Verfahren in der Kommunikation mit Kindern in Gerichtsverfahren

Seminar materials in Lithuanian (LT)

Vilnius, 2015 m. rugsejo 16-17 d. (115DT100)

Pranešeju medžiaga
- Rebecca O’Donnell:
  BENDRIEJI VAIKO TEISIU APSAUGOS PRINCIPAI IR PAGRINDINES PRIEMONES TEISINGUMO ISTAIGOSE TARPTAUTINIAME IR EUROPOS KONTEKSTE
  I seminaras: Vaiku, kurie yra prekybos žmonemis aukos, atveju analize: baudžiamuju istatymu ir vaiku apsaugos istatymu saveika
- Aisling Parkes:
  I dalis: Vaiko teisiu konvencijos 12 straipsnis VEIKSMINGO DALYVAVIMO UŽTIKRINIMAS: vaiko teise buti išklausytam
  II seminaras: Vaiko teise buti išklausytam civilinese bylose
  Veiksmingo dalyvavimo užtikrinimas: 2 dalis Vaiko dalyvavimas teisminiame procese
  III seminaras: Diskusija apie tiesiogini ir netiesiogini vaiku atstovavima teismo procesuose
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  Gerosios praktikos gaires del bendravimo su vaikais teisinese situacijose
- Aušra Augaitiene:
  Teismo psichologo vaidmuo ir funkcijos Lietuvos teismuose

Seminar materials in Polish (PL)

Kraków, 5-6 maja 2016 r. (416DT10)

Teksty wykladów
- Dariusz Mazur:
  Wymiar sprawiedliwosci przyjazny dzieciom: uczestnictwo dzieci w postepowaniu sadowym
  Warsztaty I
- Simona Florescu:
  Troska o „dobro dziecka” w prawie europejskim
- Aisling Parkes:
  Prawo dziecka do bycia wysluchanym: ogólna zasada wynikajaca z Konwencji ONZ o prawach dziecka (CRC)
- Sylwia Jastrzemska:
  Warsztaty II: Witam wszystkich uczestników konferencji
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  Wytyczne Komitetu Ministrów Rady Europy w sprawie wymiaru sprawiedliwosci przyjaznego dzieciom
- Teresa Jaskiewicz-Obydzinska:
  Najlepsze praktyki z zakresu komunikowania sie z dziecmi w postepowaniu sadowym
  Warsztaty III

Seminar materials in Spanish (ES)

Barcelona, 2-3 de junio de 2016 (416DT11)

Contribuciones de los ponentes y materiales de los talleres
- Jorge Jiménez Martin:
  Justicia adaptada a la infancia: introducción basada en casos de menores que participan en procedimientos judiciales
  Taller
- Aida Grgic:
  Promoción del “interés superior del menor” en el derecho europeo
  Taller
- Aisling Parkes:
  El derecho a ser escuchado: un principio general de la Convención de las NN.UU. sobre los Derechos del Niño (CDN)
  Taller
- María Dolores Viñas Maestre:
  Taller
- Ankie Vandekerckhove:
  Directrices del Consejo de Europa sobre una justicia adaptada a los menores
  Taller
- María Ribas Siñol & Noemí del Prado Sánchez:
  Buenas prácticas para comunicar con niños en procedimientos legales
  Taller