Children's voices

Family disputes affect children greatly, yet their voices are often excluded from the family justice system, despite the rights given to them in the UN Convention on the rights of the child. The network members are keen to explore how a role for children in both family decision making and in family justice processes should be conceptualised and implemented. In particular:

• will children be heard less in a move towards more mediated family disputes?
• should children have a voice in the court room?
• should children's rights trump parents' rights when a parent wishes to relocate abroad?
• should the family justice system focus on children's welfare or children's rights?
• are children's right protected within surrogacy law?