About Court
is a resource for practitioners which helps to provide an explanation about the court process for children and young people and seeks to provide clarity on what their thoughts are about the proceedings in which they are involved. Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child prioritises the voice of the child,
“States parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.”
The resources have been designed in order to reflect a children’s rights approach to working with children and young people in the Family Courts.
“The right of the child to participate in the decision making and to be consulted is accepted as a central tenet of welfare and in this model the child’s wishes and feelings assume a central importance in an upward thrust of participation which informs and underpins interpretations of the child’s best interest.” (Timms 1995)
Consultation between NIGALA and VOYPIC 2014
Drivers in the development of About Court include recommendations from the consultation process conducted by NIGALA and VOYPIC with young people 2014. The recommendations from this consultation process included that Guardians should;
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Help children and young people develop an understanding of the court process in an age appropriate manner;
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Promote an understanding of the principle of best interests, in that a Guardian may not recommend what the child/young person wants;
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Promote understanding of the independence of the role of the Guardian;
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Implement age appropriate records detailing what has happened during the meetings between the child/young person and the Guardian, (Consultation Process NIGALA VOYPIC 2014).