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Every year in Switzerland, over 100,000 children and young people come into contact with the legal system. All of them have the right to participation. Far too often, however, this right is disregarded and children and young people are not heard when decisions that affect them are being made. As the independent national Ombuds Office Children’s Rights Switzerland, our central task is to ensure that all professionals involved have the same understanding of participation and are working together to safeguard its implementation.

Dilan has known for a long time that he wants to live with his father. Since his parents separated, he has lived with his mother and her boyfriend. There are constant arguments at home, the new partner has rejected Dilan and has acted violently. Often, lots of alcohol is involved. Caught in the middle is Dilan, and he is only 9 years old. How can he assert himself against his mother’s wishes and move in with his father? 

Also in Switzerland, children’s rights are based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. However, ratification is not enough for these rights to be guaranteed. To ensure that the justice system always treats children in a child-friendly manner, the Council of Europe has adopted specific guidelines for child-friendly justice.

How do we support children, youth and their caregivers in challenging situations? In the context of our series of posts on legal advice , we examine a specific example of a girl with disabilities whose lesson time had been reduced due to a lack of financial resources.