15 September to 4 November 2025

The Postgraduate Course on Child Participation and Hearing in Judicial Proceedings takes a legal perspective on the process of child participation and hearing, ensuring an interdisciplinary approach in dialogue with disciplines such as psychology and social work. The course aims to safeguard the right of the child to be heard.

First and foremost, the participation and hearing of children in judicial contexts is a right, not a duty. Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes the right of the child to be heard and to express their opinion, taking into account their age and maturity. It also states that ‘the child shall be given the opportunity to be heard in judicial and administrative proceedings’.

Children have the right to express their opinions, thoughts, feelings, motivations, desires and fears. They also have the right to be properly listened to by qualified professionals in a child-friendly judicial system that facilitates communication and interaction. When children are properly listened to, they tend to express positive feelings and perceive judicial decisions as fairer, even if they do not reflect their wishes, because they feel that they have been taken into consideration. Failing to listen to children properly can result in their re-victimisation within the judicial context.