Child Friendly Justice European Network

12/05/2026

📢 SAVE THE DATE: Child Friendly Justice European Network Annual Seminar 2026

📍 Brussels, Belgium | 📅 28–30 October 2026 | 🗣 In person

We're delighted to announce the theme of this year's Annual Seminar:

"The Value of Investing in Child-Centred Justice"

Building on last year's seminar, which explored the importance of bridging child justice and child protection systems, the 2026 seminar will make the case for child-centred justice as a strategic, long-term investment – in children, communities, and society.

When properly resourced, child-centred justice can prevent crises, reduce justice involvement, and ensure timely, appropriate remedies when children seek justice.
Co-hosted by Child Friendly Justice European Network , Children and Young People's Centre for Justice, and the Institute for Inspiring Children's Futures (IICF), University of Strathclyde.

More information to follow. 👇

06/05/2026

[EVENT] Join us for the 2026 CFJ-EN Summer School 🏛️

Registrations are now open for the first-ever CFJ-EN Summer School: Ensuring the Meaningful Participation and Protection of Child Victims in Criminal Proceedings.

This intensive three-day residential programme in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium) is designed for professionals working with children in justice settings who want to strengthen their practical skills and explore child-centred approaches grounded in real-life practice.

Through interactive workshops, real-life case studies, role-play exercises and peer exchange, participants will work through the kinds of challenges they encounter in their daily work with child victims.

Why attend?
🔹 Practical, case-study-based learning led by experienced practitioners
🔹 Updates on key legal and judicial developments, including the revised EU Victims’ Rights Directive and the Barnahus model
🔹 Hands-on tools and approaches to support meaningful child participation
🔹 A multidisciplinary learning environment bringing together legal, social, psychological and victim support professionals
🔹 Opportunities to exchange experiences, challenges and solutions with peers from across Europe

The programme will also explore diverse child victims’ experiences, including children in migration, Roma and LGBTQI+ children.

📅 Dates: 15–17 July 2026
📍 Location: Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
🗣️ Language: English
💶 Tuition + Accommodation: €700
⏰ Deadline: 30 June 2026

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis

More information and to apply:
https://www.cfjnetwork.eu/summer-school-2026

06/05/2026

Every child has the right to be treated with respect, dignity, and fairness at all times.
Child-friendly justice means that no child is judged, ignored, or treated differently because of their background, identity, or situation.

International standards, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Council of Europe Guidelines on child-friendly justice, make it clear that children

must be protected from discrimination and treated in a way that respects their dignity throughout the justice process.

Respect and dignity are not optional – they're the foundation of trust, safety, and fairness.

Because every child deserves to be seen, heard, and valued for who they are.
To learn more about the principles of child-friendly justice:

📘 Read the Council of Europe Guidelines on child-friendly justice:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/children/child-friendly-justice
📚 Browse the publications on our website: https://www.cfjnetwork.eu/publications

The Child Friendly Justice European Network (CFJ-EN) was established in April 2019 by Defence for Children International Belgium and currently has 24 member organisations in 17 countries. Our mission is acting and advocating for child friendly justice with one unique and strong voice across Europe.

05/05/2026

This , and one group of children is missing from the conversation: those in conflict with the law.

Studies consistently show high rates of depression, anxiety and stress among children in justice systems. Neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia are three times more prevalent among this population than in the general public. A significant proportion have experienced abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. These are not hardened criminals. They are vulnerable young people, often failed long before they came to the attention of the law.

The professionals who work with them, in courts, detention centres and beyond, need the right tools to respond.

The ARISA Child e-learning course, available on our website, offers exactly that: free, accessible training in child-friendly justice, trauma awareness, resilience-building, and the rights of every child in conflict with the law.

🔗 Find out more: https://www.publications.cfjnetwork.eu/publication/406

17/04/2026

[MEMBERSHIP] Did you know? The CFJ-EN brings together 40 members across 21 European countries, united by a shared vision: fairer, more accessible justice systems for children.

Our network spans a diverse range of organisations and experts, including:

🔵 Human rights NGOs such as Défense des Enfants International DEI Belgique, Terre des hommes and Penal Reform International, working on everything from legal aid for migrant children to ending violence and sexual exploitation

🔵 Research institutes and universities such as the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights, Vrije Universiteit Brussel and CICS.NOVA - Interdisciplinary Center of Social Sciences, producing evidence-based policy and advancing human rights education

🔵 Specialist practice organisations running helplines, child-friendly interview facilities, arts and sports programmes in detention, and restorative justice initiatives

🔵 Individual experts – lawyers, criminologists, mediators, and policy advisors –bringing decades of hands-on experience in juvenile justice reform across Europe and beyond

👉 Visit our new members' page to explore the full network and find out how to get involved: https://www.cfjnetwork.eu/members

01/04/2026

Is the EU’s future budget fit for our children? 🇪🇺🧒

This week, CFJ-EN joined 14 leading child rights organisations to send a clear message to Brussels: The 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) – the EU’s 7-year master budget – must put children at its heart.

We cannot build a resilient Europe while overlooking its youngest citizens. Our joint statement outlines 7 critical demands:

📍 Nothing About Them, Without Them: We’re calling for safe and meaningful ways for children to have a say in how the EU budget is designed. Their voices are essential, not just a "nice-to-have."
📍 A Child-Centred Budget: Prioritising the most vulnerable, from children with disabilities to those in migration.
📍 The "Child Marker": We need a transparent system to track every Euro spent on children. If we don’t track it, we can’t improve it.
📍 €20 Billion to End Poverty: Dedicated funding to break the cycle of poverty and social exclusion across member states.
📍 Safety & Justice: Funding for child-friendly justice systems that prioritise support and rehabilitation over detention.
📍 Rights Without Borders: Treating children in migration as children first—investing in schools and housing, not fences.
📍 Global Impact: Ensuring 20% of foreign aid goes towards human development like health and education.

🔗 Read the full joint statement here: http://coface-eu.org/call-for-a-child-centred-eu-budget-joint-reaction-to-the-multiannual-financial-framework-mff-proposal/

31/03/2026

Justice shouldn’t just be about looking back at what happened; it should be about helping children shape what comes next.

As the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child states, the "best interests of the child" must be a primary consideration in every decision. This means prioritising their development and their successful reintegration into society.

We are incredibly inspired by April, one of our Young Justice Transformers from the Netherlands, whose testimony reminds us that when adults truly listen to a child’s hopes for the future, they can provide the support needed to grow.

📖 Explore the Standards:

🔹 Read General Comment 24: https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/general-comments-and-recommendations/general-comment-no-24-2019-childrens-rights-child

🔹 Council of Europe Guidelines: https://www.coe.int/en/web/children/child-friendly-justice

🔹 Full Publications Library: https://www.cfjnetwork.eu/publications

25/03/2026

[RESOURCES] Justice should be accessible to everyone – especially children. ⚖️💙

Our "Handbook on Child-Friendly Justice in Europe" is available to download! Whether you're a legal professional, an advocate, or a policymaker, this guide is designed to help you navigate and improve justice systems for children across Europe.

What’s inside?

✅ 150+ tools, websites, and training resources.
✅ Updates on legal standards regarding family law, migration, and child participation.
✅ Knowledge is power. Let’s work together to make justice systems more child-friendly. 🌍

👇 Get your copy here:
https://www.publications.cfjnetwork.eu/publication/409

23/03/2026

Want to stay up to date on child-friendly justice in Europe?

Our newsletter brings together policy updates, research, child participation, and events & training opportunities from across the CFJ-EN network.

👉 Sign up here: https://www.cfjnetwork.eu/cfj-en-newsletter

20/03/2026

[ADVOCACY] A milestone week for the rights of child victims in Europe 🇪🇺

CFJ-EN was at the European Commission this Tuesday! Our Advocacy Officer, Marie Chapot, represented us at the high-level Victims’ Rights Platform meeting to witness the presentation of the Revised Directive on Victims' Rights.

The event brought together some key decision-makers, including Justice Commissioner Michael McGrath, Members of the European Parliament, EU member states and leading civil society organisations.

The highlight for us? The clear commitment to support for child victims. We fully agree with Commissioner McGrath: "targeted and integrated" approaches are essential and align with the child-friendly justice we advocate for every day.

Changing of the guard:

💐 A huge thank you to Katarzyna Janicka-Pawlowska for her support and dedicated leadership as the first EU Victims’ Rights Coordinator.
🤝 We’re looking forward to working with her successor, Tommaso Chiamparino, as we contribute to the upcoming EU Strategy on Victims' Rights.

Read about the Victims' Rights Directive here:

https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/policies/justice-and-fundamental-rights/criminal-justice/protecting-victims-rights/victims-rights-eu_en

17/03/2026

Children have the right to be informed about what is happening to them at every stage of the justice process. Child-friendly justice standards say this information must be clear, age-appropriate, and tailored to each child’s needs.

Using complicated legal words, speaking too quickly, or failing to check if a child has understood can leave children feeling bewildered and anxious.

Explaining rights properly helps children feel safer, make informed decisions, and play a meaningful role in their own court case.

For justice to be fair, children need to understand it.

To learn more about child-friendly justice:

📘 Council of Europe Guidelines on Child-Friendly Justice:
https://www.coe.int/en/web/children/child-friendly-justice

📚 Browse our publications:
https://www.cfjnetwork.eu/publications