Consultations with children in vulnerable contexts, including deaf children
Inclusion of deaf children in the consultation process carried out in the course of the implementation of the CPAT by the CNPDPCJ.
National Commission for the Promotion of the Rights and the Protection of Children and Young People
The CNPDPCJ aimed to include children in vulnerable circumstances, as to provide equal opportunities as much as possible.
The partner organization working with deaf children was contacted by the CNPDPCJ in the same way as any other institution. The only difference referred to the need of ensuring the support of a sign language interpreter during the consultations, to articulate with the facilitators and the children.
The CNPDPCJ worked with this organization in the same way as it did with any other organization, only with the necessary adaptations due to the need of including sign language interpretation in these consultations. Children shared their views on children's participation.
Two deaf young girls who participated in the consultations were part of the Portuguese delegation to the midterm international conference of the event held by the Council of Europe in Cork, in May 23-25, 2022.
One of the girls at stake has been participating in other activities of the project as a Portuguese member of the Child Advisory Group (CAT) that was established within the scope of the project at the international level.
The deaf children who participated in the consultation process felt that it provided them an opportunity for meaningful participation, especially because this segment of the population is not consulted as often as it would be desirable.
As a piece of advice, one could underline the importance of consulting with children in several vulnerable circumstances.