Funding Period: 01.03.2024 - 01.03.2025

Funded by: "Justice for Children" Program of the Lachezar Tsotsorkov Foundation

The PULSE Foundation actively works to create and establish an effective regional program for the care of individuals affected by violence and their families. The current project, "Trust for Our Children", continues our efforts to protect children's rights and promote child-friendly justice based on the best interests of the child.

Project Goals

The main goal of the project is to ensure equal protection of the rights of children and adolescents while creating conditions for child-friendly justice that acknowledges and considers the psychological trauma associated with conflicts with the law.

The project aims to:

• Establish multidisciplinary teams of specialists sensitive to the needs of children.
• Conduct research on the primary needs of children in conflict with the law and those of magistrates.
• Develop and implement training programs for legal professionals, with a special focus on child-friendly justice.

The project includes the following main activities, carried out in the territories of Pernik and Kardzhali:

• Needs Assessment: Conduct an evaluation of the needs of children in conflict with the law and legal professionals, to identify the main training requirements.
• Training Programs: Develop a training methodology for magistrates and specialists, focused on understanding child trauma and children's rights within the justice system.
• Awareness-Raising Seminars: Organize seminars for magistrates and other professionals aimed at promoting understanding of child psychology and approaches to working with children in criminal proceedings.
• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Create a platform for the exchange of experience and best practices between various institutions involved in child justice.
• Overcoming Stigmatization: Activities to raise sensitivity and awareness among institutions and specialists working with children affected by violence.

Expected result:

• Enhance the competence of magistrates and specialists in working with children in conflict with the law.
• Create an integrated system for working with children, based on the principles of child-friendly justice.
• Strengthen the network of institutions working to protect children's rights and prevent violence.
• Reduce the stigmatization of children who have experienced violence or are in conflict with the law.

The "Trust for Our Children" project is an important step toward building a justice system that takes into account the needs of children and guarantees the protection of their rights. Through innovations in training and practical approaches, we aim to create a safe and supportive environment for every child who has experienced violence or is in conflict with the law.