Page 12 - Meeting with Children Book

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This book is about hearing children and youth. It is
designed to transcend jurisdictions by applying the
voice of the child to any jurisdiction in which the child
may reside.

THE CHILD VOICE

The theoretical position with respect to the voice of
the child stems from key principles from the
Convention on the Rights of the Child (United Nations
General Assembly resolution 44/25 (1989)). Article 3
of the Convention has become a cornerstone of public
and private family law across the developed world.

Article 3:
In all actions concerning children, whether undertaken
by public or private social welfare institutions, courts
of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies,
the best interests of the child shall be a primary
consideration.

This provision relates to the responsibility of adult
decision makers to maintain the best interests of
children as the primary consideration. In a sense, this
article sets the foundation for what follows; decision-
making relating to children needs to ultimately
consider the child's best interest first and foremost.
What follows is then a series of statements that relate
to how those best interests can be achieved. Not only
is it through protection of the child’s human rights, it