As part of the joint European Union – Council of Europe Child-friendly Justice project, a series of 13 child-led awareness-raising sessions took place across Poland, Slovenia and Belgium between November and December 2025, marking an important step forward in ensuring that children’s voices are central in discussions about justice systems that concern them. 

In the three countries, a total of 215 participants – 139 adults (justice professionals, educators, caregivers) and 76 children and young people - attended the sessions to deepen their understanding of the rights of children in contact with the law before, during and after judicial and non-judicial proceedings.

The sessions, designed and delivered with children, focused on their experiences and insights of being in contact with the justice system. Their active participation offered an authentic and compelling perspective on the challenges they face, the gaps in support they encounter, and the rights that must be safeguarded at every stage of the process.

Children and young facilitators were supported throughout by DCI Belgium and the international child participation expert Cath Larkins, who provided technical guidance and methodological assistance, thus ensuring that each session was child-friendly, rights-based and grounded in participatory practice.

This initiative forms part of a broader effort to strengthen child-friendly justice systems and promote meaningful child participation in judicial and non-judicial proceedings in Europe. By placing children at the centre of these conversations, the project highlights the importance of empowering children to speak about their rights and ensuring that adults are ready to listen.