A practical specialist event on the topic of children's rights and participation took place in the concert and stage house in the pilgrimage town of Kevelaer. The meeting was organized by the network coordinators of the Child Protection Network in the district of Kleve. The event focused on the question of how children's rights and participation can be implemented in practice. "It's about considering the child as the starting point for all interventions, respecting their rights - especially the right to participation - and understanding co-determination from the perspective of those affected," explained network coordinator Daniela Prudlo-Kadelka on behalf of her colleagues.
The specialist event also provided an opportunity to take a closer look: Where is participation already taking place? What hurdles do child and youth protection professionals face? And where are the limits of participation? The participants also discussed what steps can be taken to ensure the best possible participation of children.
Christina Muscutt from the Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR) was recruited as an expert. In her work at the LVR, she deals with the topics of "children's rights" and "participation" and works at the interface with child protection. In addition to her work as a specialist advisor at the state youth welfare office, she is also active in teaching and research. Her presentation was the prelude to the practical methodological work that followed.
Over 170 professionals from a wide range of fields - including nursery school teachers, teachers, representatives from the public prosecutor's office, police, school social work, counseling agencies, integration assistance, paediatric dentists, socio-paediatric centers and other interdisciplinary stakeholders - took part in the event. The consistently positive response underlines the great relevance of the topic.
The central idea was: "Thinking from the child's perspective." The network coordinators emphasize: "Focusing on the child as the lowest common denominator, recognizing their interests and need for protection, which unites all those involved across professional boundaries, is central to our work." In addition to knowledge about procedures and the rights and duties of professionals, child protection should above all strengthen the rights of the child.
An important concern was to show ways in which children can be involved in decision-making processes in the best possible way. Children should have a say, participate in decision-making and be informed transparently about decisions in their environment. The aim is to take them seriously not just as objects, but as independent actors with rights and needs.
The event was based on the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the requirements of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia (Section 1 of the NRW State Child Protection Act), both of which focus on the dignity, rights and well-being of the child. The interdisciplinary discussions highlighted the importance of networking, communication and shared responsibility in child protection.
The network coordinators draw a positive conclusion: "The event showed that professionals from different areas are willing to see the child as the starting point for their actions. We reflected together on where participation is already successful, what obstacles there are and what measures we can take to enable the best possible participation of children. This is a decisive step towards sustainably strengthening the participation and protection of children in our region."
Background info
The "Child Protection Network in the District of Kleve" works with the aim of ensuring effective, rapid and interdisciplinary cooperation in order to identify and prevent child endangerment at an early stage (on the basis of Section 9 of the NRW State Child Protection Act). This is achieved through the structural networking of youth welfare, healthcare, schools, police and the judiciary as well as through coordinated procedures and an improved exchange of information - always with the focus on consistently placing children at the center of all protective measures.
Source: Child protection network in the district of Kleve