CAMHI trains judiciaries on child protection

CAMHI participated in a Training Seminar for Judicial Officers on "Transnational and national programs and action plans for promoting child-friendly justice - Organisation of courts for implementing these programs ".
In the seminars, held on Tuesday, 12 November, and Monday, 9 December, Nikos Zilikis and Lillian Athanasopoulou, child psychiatrists and heads of our reference center in Thessaloniki, respectively, presented on "Child-friendly Justice: the Key Example of Child Protection" and "Cooperation between Mental Health Services for Children and Adolescents and Judicial Officers."

The number of participants in the Seminar of 12 November was 445, while on 2 December the number of participants was 390.

The seminar focused on innovative practices for the protection of children in the context of justice, with emphasis on inter-agency cooperation, preventive measures and the role of culture and sport. In particular, the seminar focused on the need to create a child-friendly justice system to protect children's rights and take into account their specific needs. Speakers covered a range of topics on cooperation between mental health services, judicial officers and other actors to better serve children and adolescents, such as unaccompanied minors and young offenders. In particular, the importance of innovative approaches implemented in a European context was highlighted, as well as the role of arts, cinema, sport, and archaeology in the prevention of juvenile delinquency.

Regarding the seminar, Ms Athanasopoulou said:
"All of us who work every day with children and adolescents involved with the justice system, we are constantly aware of how important it is for judicial officers and mental health professionals to work together, without losing the special role of each side, but (symbolically) like a caring parental couple talking and working together with a focus on the child . The educational meetings mutually broaden the views and minimize the impact on the child, do not re-traumatize the child, and contribute to building confidence in the institutions."

Accordingly, Mr. Zilikis pointed out:
"After participating in these two seminar meetings, we realize that while the issue of juvenile delinquency is under the spotlight, there is a risk of relegating to the background problems that are nevertheless equally serious, such as neglect-abuse and child protection, conflictual divorces, and custody issues, with which judicial officers are constantly faced.