Preventing secondary and repeat victimisation of child victims of crime:

Risk assessments and solutions in the best interests of the child

E-PROTECT International Workshop – Agenda

17 and 24 March 2021

The event will be held in English and organised on a zoom platform with simultaneous translation in the languages of the project partners (Bulgarian, Greek, Italian, Romanian)

You can register here.

First Day 17 March 2021

14.00

Welcome and introduction to the webinar

Panel 1: Safeguarding child victims of crime in the criminal justice system: The comprehensive approach of Barnahus for preventing secondary and repeat victimisation

14.10

Introduction to the panel by the Moderator

14.15

Risks of secondary and repeat victimisation of child victims of crime in the context of criminal investigations and proceedings

Overview of evidence, trends and children’s voices

14.30

The Barnahus model for child-sensitive justice: A comprehensive approach to prevent risks of secondary and repeat victimisation

Introduction to the Nordic Barnahus model

Challenges and solutions in setting up the Children’s House model: Experience and lessons learned from Germany

Astrid Helling-Bakki, Executive Director, World Childhood Foundation Germany (tbc)

15.00

Questions and discussion

15.15

Break


Panel 2: Preventing secondary and repeat victimisation of children in the criminal justice system: Experience from countries promoting solutions in the best interests of the child

15.30

Introduction to the panel by the Moderator

15.30

Preventing secondary and repeat victimisation of children, as well as intimidation and retaliation, in the criminal justice system

Experience from the E-PROTECT partner countries

Juvenile Prosecutor Claudia de Luca, Italy: How risks of secondary and repeat victimisation, intimidation and retaliation create challenges for the prosecution of perpetrators of violence against children, Experience from Naples, Italy

Experience with the blue rooms in Bulgaria: Strengths and challenges

Forensic police interviewing of child victims of crime, Greece: How can a trained forensic interviewing specialist reduce risks of secondary and repeat victimisation, intimidation or retaliation, of child victims of crime during criminal investigations and proceedings? Reflections from the transition process in Greece to a child-centred inter-agency and multidisciplinary cooperation model inspired by Barnahus

Roberta di Bella, Lawyer, President of the Juvenile Chamber of Genoa, Member of the National Union of Juvenile Chambers, Italy: The role of lawyers to reduce risks of secondary and repeat victimisation, intimidation and retaliation of child victims of crime in the context of criminal investigations and proceedings: Introducing an initiative of the regional bar association of Liguria to sensitise and train legal professionals on these matters, including lawyers, prosecution and law enforcement services.

Discussion, questions and answers

16.30

16.45

Concluding remarks

Closure of the meeting


Second Day – 24 March 2021

14.00

Welcome and introduction to the webinar

Recap from the first day

Panel 1: International and European standards guiding the risk assessment of victims of violence: The work of GREVIO and the Committee on the Rights of the Child in monitoring implementation

14.10

Introduction to the panel by the Moderator

The work of GREVIO in promoting risk assessments in accordance with the Council of Europe Istanbul Convention 

Maria-Andriani Kostopoulou, Member of GREVIO (tbc)

Risks of child victims of intra-family and gender-based violence and solutions in the best interests of the child: Experience from the monitoring work of the Committee on the Rights of the Child

Benoit Van Keirsbilck, Director of Defence for Children International – Belgium, Member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child

Comments and discussion

Isabella Mastropasqua, Director Office II, Juvenile and Community Justice Department, Italian Ministry of Justice: The role of the social services within the criminal justice system (in Italian)

15.20

Break

15.30

Risk assessment of child victims of violence: Methods and approaches

Multi-professional risk assessments and the MARAC method

Stella Karapa, Forensic Psychologist, Greece

Sabrina Reggers, Family Support Centre, Belgium

Comments and discussion

16.15

Reflections on risk assessment and best interests determination as systemic methods

Individual assessment of child victims of crime: Methodology E-PROTECT

16.30

16.45

Concluding remarks

Announcement of upcoming activities

Closure of meeting