Children's rights to be heard in child protection processes?law, policy and practice in England and Wales

Abstract

This article will examine how child protection procedures and practices can promote the rights of children to have their voices heard effectively within the child protection system in England and Wales. New domestic legal requirements concerning the extent and nature of the participation of young people in child protection decision‐making processes are presented and analysed. The status of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the effects of the Human Rights Act 1998 for all agencies involved in child protection work are discussed. Suggestions for regulation and monitoring of policies and practices that can empower children to participate more fully in child protection processes that comply with the UNCRC and the Human Rights Act are presented. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Vulnerable children's rights to participation, protection, and provision: The process of defining the problem in Swedish child and family welfare

“…Instead, partnership with parents becomes part also of the child-focused model. Although pointed out elsewhere (Littlechild, 2000;Munro & Ward, 2008), here, it is not problematized that a focus on the family and parents' rights may interfere with children's participation and with child-centred practice.…”

Vulnerable children's rights to participation, protection, and provision: The process of defining the problem in Swedish child and family welfare

“…Instead, partnership with parents becomes part also of the child-focused model. Although pointed out elsewhere (Littlechild, 2000;Munro & Ward, 2008), here, it is not problematized that a focus on the family and parents' rights may interfere with children's participation and with child-centred practice.…”

Fulfilment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the practice of Czech courts

“…Therefore, we conducted quantitative research to determine whether and how the child's opinion is ascertained in court proceedings concerning him/her, and how the ascertained child's opinion is considered in decision-making. In the Czech Republic, how the child's opinion is ascertained in proceedings concerning him or her and whether it is taken into account in decisions affecting the child's later life (Fernando, 2014;Fleming, 2013;Littlechild, 2020) is yet to be empirically investigated.…”

Bettering the Best Interests of the Child Determination: Of Checklists and Balancing Exercises

“…The first consideration in best interests assessments is to protect the child from harm, such as abuse or neglect. The safety of the child is an immediate concern (Littlechild, 2000). However the overall well-being of the child reaches far beyond their immediate safety.…”

Vulnerable children's rights to participation, protection, and provision: The process of defining the problem in Swedish child and family welfare

“…Instead, partnership with parents becomes part also of the child-focused model. Although pointed out elsewhere (Littlechild, 2000;Munro & Ward, 2008), here, it is not problematized that a focus on the family and parents' rights may interfere with children's participation and with child-centred practice.…”

Fulfilment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the practice of Czech courts

“…Therefore, we conducted quantitative research to determine whether and how the child's opinion is ascertained in court proceedings concerning him/her, and how the ascertained child's opinion is considered in decision-making. In the Czech Republic, how the child's opinion is ascertained in proceedings concerning him or her and whether it is taken into account in decisions affecting the child's later life (Fernando, 2014;Fleming, 2013;Littlechild, 2020) is yet to be empirically investigated.…”

Bettering the Best Interests of the Child Determination: Of Checklists and Balancing Exercises

“…The first consideration in best interests assessments is to protect the child from harm, such as abuse or neglect. The safety of the child is an immediate concern (Littlechild, 2000). However the overall well-being of the child reaches far beyond their immediate safety.…”

Vulnerable children's rights to participation, protection, and provision: The process of defining the problem in Swedish child and family welfare

“…Instead, partnership with parents becomes part also of the child-focused model. Although pointed out elsewhere (Littlechild, 2000;Munro & Ward, 2008), here, it is not problematized that a focus on the family and parents' rights may interfere with children's participation and with child-centred practice.…”

Fulfilment of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the practice of Czech courts

“…Therefore, we conducted quantitative research to determine whether and how the child's opinion is ascertained in court proceedings concerning him/her, and how the ascertained child's opinion is considered in decision-making. In the Czech Republic, how the child's opinion is ascertained in proceedings concerning him or her and whether it is taken into account in decisions affecting the child's later life (Fernando, 2014;Fleming, 2013;Littlechild, 2020) is yet to be empirically investigated.…”

Bettering the Best Interests of the Child Determination: Of Checklists and Balancing Exercises

“…The first consideration in best interests assessments is to protect the child from harm, such as abuse or neglect. The safety of the child is an immediate concern (Littlechild, 2000). However the overall well-being of the child reaches far beyond their immediate safety.…”