University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences

University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences Researcher Examines Components of Child and Adolescent Friendly Courts

 

Motahareh Saghachi Firouzabadi, one of the first graduates of the Child and Adolescent Social Work program at the university, defended her thesis titled Development of the Concept of Child- and Adolescent-Friendly Courts. This research represents a scientific step toward transitioning from traditional adjudication to a child-centered, supportive approach that is appropriate for their developmental conditions within the Iranian legal system.

According to the report from the university's web correspondent, the Child and Adolescent Social Work program, which was recently launched for the first time at the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, has begun its activities with the aim of training expert specialists in the field of support for children and adolescents.

Motahareh Saghachi Firouzabadi, one of the first graduates of this program, stated after her thesis defense: This field was established with the aim of filling specialized gaps in the field of child social work, and I am honored to be among the very first graduates in this major.

Explaining her research topic, titled Development of the Concept of Child and Adolescent-Friendly Courts, she said: This research was developed as a continuation of Child-Friendly City projects, as the court is considered one of the essential pillars and components in realizing the concept of a Child-Friendly City.

Saghachi Firouzabadi identified the necessity of separating children's adjudication from that of adults—based on the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and domestic laws for the protection of children and adolescents—as the primary reason for choosing this topic. She added: The adjudication approach must align with the age, developmental stage, and psychological needs of children. Although actions such as designating special branches in some provinces have taken place in recent years, in my belief, merely separating a branch does not mean the court is truly child-friendly.

Referring to existing challenges, the researcher added: The main issue of this research is the lack of sufficient definition in current laws regarding the operational details of a child-friendly court; questions such as: Should children be adjudicated in a space distinct from adults? What standards should the physical space of the court possess? Which specialists should be present alongside the judge? And how can a child be protected from anxiety and secondary harms caused by being in court while simultaneously ensuring the child's voice is heard in this process?

The present research has attempted, by analyzing the social realities of Iran, to identify and formulate the key and necessary components for the actual realization of the concept of Child and Adolescent-Friendly Courts.

 

In conclusion, Saghachi Firouzabadi noted: I do not consider this research to be the end of the road; rather, I see it as an initial step toward starting specialized discourse and policymaking in this field. I believe there is a long path ahead for future research and the practical implementation of this idea within the country's judicial system.