How to prepare a child for participation in court proceedings — workshop in Odesa

Preparing a child for a court visit is an important step in ensuring that their procedural rights as a participant in the proceedings, whose opinion must be understood and heard, are respected. Consultations should take into account the child's age, level of development, individual characteristics, and the language they understand best.

The chairman of the UNBA Committee on family law Larysa Gretchenko spoke about the conditions for effective protection of children during the workshop «The best interests of the child: from international standards to practical issues», which was recently organized and conducted by the Odesa Regional Bar Association.

«A child should not be used as a tool in adult conflicts or as an «addition» to the parents' position. They should receive information directly and in an accessible form so that they understand what will happen during the proceedings», - the advocate believes.

She examined the key pieces of information that should be explained to a child before court, in particular, basic rights — to life, education, housing, protection from violence, family and contact with parents, as well as the right to free legal aid and social protection in difficult life circumstances. An important part of the preparation was also explaining the nature of the family dispute, the roles of the participants in the process, the duration of the proceedings, the possible consequences of the decision, and alternatives to court settlement.

L. Gretchenko also emphasized practical details: the child should know the place and time of the hearing, the format of the proceedings, the rules of confidentiality, the procedure for the participation of accompanying persons, and the possibility of obtaining an independent representative in the event of a conflict of interest with the parents.

A significant part of the discussion was devoted to the issue of the procedure for ascertaining the child's opinion. Among the recommended approaches are preliminary familiarization with the courtroom or the body where the interview will take place, explanation of the technical aspects of online participation, determination of the circle of persons present, and the format of communication. It was emphasized that the child has the right to express their position orally, in writing, or through audiovisual means, and that communication with them should be respectful and sensitive.

Other participants in the proceedings also spoke during the workshop. Deputy chairman of the Khadzhibey District Court of Odesa Maksym Murzenko spoke about international standards for the best interests of the child, national law, and judicial practice. Judge-speaker of the same court Ihor Bobuyok discussed the roles of judges and psychologists in realizing the child's right to be heard. A representative of the guardianship and custody authority Yulia Maidebura drew attention to the functions of her institution and the challenges of martial law, while advocate Olena Dryshlyuk revealed the role of mediation as an out-of-court method of resolving family disputes.