Do the courts do enough to protect children’s rights? The ECHR’s case law provides the answer

In early April 2026, the Dnipro Regional Branch of the National School of Judges of Ukraine, in conjunction with the Odesa Regional Branch, organised a training course to maintain the professional qualifications of judges of local general courts and judicial assistants at local general and appeal courts (specialising in civil law).

At the opening of the training, the participants were addressed by the Vice-Rector of the National School of Judges of Ukraine, Nataliia Shuklina, and the Director of the Dnipro Regional Branch, Volodymyr Poplavskyi. They wished the participants a productive learning experience during the professional development programme.

The training comprised four days of lectures and a separate specialised workshop dedicated to family disputes and children’s rights. The lectures were delivered by judges and academics from the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and leading law universities. The training covered a wide range of topics – from the rule of law and procedural aspects of civil proceedings to international standards for the protection of children’s rights and the practice of the European Court of Human Rights.

The training session ‘Specifics of hearing family disputes. Protection of Children’s Rights and Interests’ was delivered by judges, lawyers and specialists in the field of free legal aid. During the training, participants examined practical case studies on adoption, determining a child’s place of residence, the recovery of maintenance payments, the international legal framework for child protection, the procedure for providing legal aid, and the resolution of disputes under the Hague Convention on International Child Abduction.

Participants had the opportunity to join in discussions on practical cases and challenging issues with the speakers, as well as to exchange experiences and ask clarifying questions.

Upon completion of the specialised training, participants received certificates from the National School of Judges of Ukraine, confirming their participation in the system of continuous professional development and their commitment to improving the quality of justice in Ukraine.