What is the project?

The joint European Union - the Council of Europe Child-friendly Justice project aims to improve the protection of children in contact with the law – as offenders, victims or witnesses in non-judicial, judicial (such as civil and criminal cases) and administrative proceedings – across Europe at national and local level.

Aligned with the EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child and the European Child Guarantee and the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child (2022-2027), the project strives to ensure that children’s rights are not only recognised but actively upheld throughout their interactions with the justice system. It supports national justice systems in implementing the Guidelines of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on child-friendly justice, guaranteeing the respect for all children’s rights at the highest attainable level before, during and after judicial proceedings.

Phase I of the project (January 2024 - June 2026) focused on the development of the Council of Europe’s Child-friendly Justice Assessment Tool to support the implementation of the Guidelines on child-friendly justice, and its roll-out in Belgium, Poland and Slovenia, with Greece, Hungary and Portugal acting as partner countries.

Phase II (July 2026 – June 2028) seeks to scale up the implementation of the Assessment Tool, while raising awareness of children in contact with the law and their caregivers on diversion and child-friendly alternatives to detention, restorative justice, and prevention of first offence and recidivism.

France and Greece have been selected as focus countries to pilot the implementation of activities at national and local levels to collect data, identify gaps, improve legislation, policies, and practices.

Italy and the Slovak Republic have joined the second phase as project partners.

The project is co-funded by the European Commission/DG Justice and Consumers and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Children’s Rights Division of the Council of Europe.

  Project news

 What do we aim to achieve?

  Who do we work with?

In France and Greece, our focus countries, we will work hand-in-hand with key decision makers and professionals. This will include collaboration with Ministries of Justice, legislators, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, law enforcement officers, social workers, psychologists, and child protection professionals. Through their combined expertise and collaborative efforts, the project will aim to identify areas for improvement and implement changes in legislation, policies, and practices at the national and local levels.

  Who will benefit from the project?

The project targets legislators, parliamentarians, judges, prosecutors, lawyers, members of the police, bar associations, social services, psychologists, mediators, and professionals working with and for children in contact with the law. The target group also includes children in contact with the law and their parents. The ultimate beneficiaries are children, families, and civil society.