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  • Breadcrumb

    1. Home
    2. Crime, justice and the law
    3. Going to court
    4. Family courts

    Child welfare during court proceedings (CCGANI)

    The role of the Children's Court Guardian Agency (CCGANI) is to safeguard the interests of children and young people. The CCGANI aims to ensure their wishes and feelings are heard and promote their best interests in Family Court cases. Their roles are listed below.

    Children's Court Guardians

    Children's Court Guardians are social workers who look after the rights and interests of a child who is subject to court proceedings.

    They can:

    • appoint a solicitor who specialises in family law for the children
    • advise the court about what needs to be done before it can make a decision
    • write a report for the court saying what they think would be best for the children - this report must tell the court about the wishes and feelings of the children
    • spend time getting to know the children and members of their family

    Adoption

    If the parents agree on adoption, the Children's Court Guardian makes sure parents understand what adoption means for them and for the child and then writes a short report for the court.

    If a parent does not agree, or if there are special circumstances, a  Children's Court Guardian will do an in-depth investigation. They will write a report taking into account what the child wants, telling the court whether they think adoption is in the interests of the child.

    • Children's Court Guardian for Northern Ireland

    More useful links

    • Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service
    • What happens at a jury trial
    • Children's Court Guardian Agency for NI
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    Family courts

    • Attending family courts
    • Child welfare during court proceedings (CCGANI)
    • Family law cases involving EU after 31 December 2020
    • Family mediation
    • Getting a divorce or dissolving a civil partnership
    • Solicitors and the courts

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