The children contact with justice is increasingly common, especially in cases of sexual abuse and chioce of parental responsibility in cases of contested divorce.

The European Council has developed in recent years several guidelines asking country members to develop strategies that allow a more child-friendly justice. One of those approaches argues that making the declaration of children should be performed using an understandable language depending on their age and ability of understanding.

The objectives of the project are to identify the language used by judges in making statements to children, assess their ability to understand the legal terminology used, and to provide courts a tool to help judges to use an understandable terminology according to each child’s age.

UFP participants:
– Prof. Dr. Ana Sacau
– Prof. Dr. Glória Jólluskin
– Prof. Dr. Teresa Toldy
– MA Ana Oliveira (project research fellow)
– BA Joana Morais (project research fellow)

Submitting entity:
– Fundação Ensino e Cultura Fernando Pessoa

Project supported by:
– Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PTDC/MHC-PAP/3646/2012)
– European funds through program COMPETE