Child-Friendly Justice: ways to improve support for vulnerable people in Ukraine’s judicial system

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This scientific article is dedicated to examining the current and pressing issues arising in the modern legal environment, particularly in ensuring child-friendly justice. This is a critically important aspect for creating fair, impartial, and highly effective judicial processes that take into account the interests and rights of children. The article examines the existing mechanisms of support and protection for children within the judicial system, analyzes the practical aspects of their implementation, and proposes effective recommendations for improving and enhancing the current justice system. This research evaluates the key components of a justice system aimed at ensuring the rights of children, including specialized courts, professional legal system workers, and psychological support services aimed at protecting the emotional state of minors during legal proceedings. Special attention is given to an in-depth analysis of the range of issues that arise during the interaction of children with judicial authorities and legal professionals, as well as their direct impact on the outcomes of court cases. The study also focuses on issues related to the insufficient professional training of judges and legal system personnel for working with vulnerable groups, particularly children, and the lack of clear, officially established guidelines that regulate behavior and approaches to working with children in court. This often leads to negative consequences, including effects on the psycho-emotional state of children who find themselves in stressful conditions. Based on a comprehensive analysis, the article proposes specific ways to improve the support for vulnerable users of the judicial system, particularly children. These recommendations include enhancing the professional qualifications of judicial system specialists, introducing innovative technologies that would simplify children’s interaction with judicial bodies, and developing and implementing new approaches to providing psychological support to children during legal proceedings. Additionally, it is important to create a safer and more child-friendly environment focused on protecting the rights and psychological well-being of the child. The research emphasizes the need to integrate modern approaches to justice, which include more flexible and sensitive procedures that address the needs of children and their emotional state. The article also highlights the necessity of developing new standards and guidelines aimed at ensuring the most effective, fair, and humane support for vulnerable children. It offers several opportunities that could significantly contribute to improving the judicial system and access to justice in the context of protecting the rights and interests of children in the modern legal landscape.