Improving children’s understanding and experiences of the legal process 

The TALE project is funded by the European Commission and provides online training and advice for legal practitioners to support their work with children.

The online training tool is heavily informed by the Council of Europe Guidelines on Child Friendly Justice, a collection of international principles and practical guidance aimed at adapting the legal process to children’s needs and rights.

It was developed by children’s rights academics and practitioners based within the University of Liverpool’s European Children’s Rights Unit and Liverpool Law Clinic as part of a European Union-funded project aimed at improving the legal process for children across Europe. The team, led by Professor Helen Stalford and Dr Sarah Woodhouse, worked closely with partners, including children and young people, in leading children’s rights organisations, Coram Children’s Legal Centre, Just for Kids Law and Investing in Children.

How was the Online Training Developed?

The online training is the product of two years of observing and interviewing front-line legal practitioners who specialise in working with children across a range of legal areas. Importantly, the training is also informed by consultation with a reference group of children who have first-hand experience of legal proceedings.

It includes practical tools to assist lawyers in achieving more child sensitive procedures as well as techniques for developing persuasive children’s rights-based arguments to present to judges and other decision-makers.

Online training