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A Voz que Conta: Entre Princípios e Práticas na audição da Criança
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A audição da criança constitui um domínio central da proteção dos seus direitos, exigindo práticas profissionais sensíveis, informadas e coerentes com o quadro normativo vigente. No contexto português, os magistrados dos Juízos de Família e Menores desempenham um papel determinante na decisão sobre a necessidade, o momento e o modo de ouvir a criança, influenciando diretamente a forma como a sua opinião é integrada no processo. Contudo, persistem desafios concetuais, éticos e institucionais que condicionam a operacionalização deste direito, tornando essencial compreender as perceções e práticas destes profissionais. O presente estudo, de natureza qualitativa, teve como objetivo analisar em profundidade as representações dos magistrados sobre a audição da criança, identificando fundamentos, modelos, critérios de decisão, dificuldades e necessidades de melhoria. Recorreu-se a entrevistas semiestruturadas de carácter intensivo, realizadas a nove magistrados de diferentes comarcas de Portugal Continental, após autorização institucional e cumprimento rigoroso dos princípios éticos. A análise dos dados articulou procedimentos dedutivos e indutivos, integrando contributos teóricos com significados emergentes das narrativas dos participantes. Os resultados evidenciam tensões entre o quadro normativo e as condições reais de prática, destacando desafios relacionados com a avaliação da maturidade, a adequação do ambiente judicial, a formação especializada e a articulação interdisciplinar. O estudo contribui para uma compreensão aprofundada das práticas judiciais e oferece pistas de reflexão para o desenvolvimento de modelos mais consistentes, éticos e centrados na criança.
Child hearings are a central dimension of children’s rights protection, requiring professional practices that are sensitive, informed, and aligned with the existing legal framework. In the Portuguese context, judges in Family Courts play a decisive role in determining whether, when, and how a child should be heard, directly influencing the extent to which the child’s views are considered in the decision-making process. Despite the normative emphasis on child participation, significant conceptual, ethical, and institutional challenges persist, highlighting the need to understand how judges perceive and operationalize this right in their daily practice. This qualitative study aims to explore judges’ representations of the child hearing process, identifying underlying rationales, models of practice, decision criteria, challenges, and perceived areas for improvement. Intensive semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine judges from different regions of mainland Portugal, following institutional authorization and strict adherence to ethical principles, including confidentiality, anonymity, and voluntary participation. Data analysis combined deductive and inductive procedures, integrating theoretical contributions with meanings emerging from the participants’ narratives. The findings reveal tensions between the normative framework and the practical conditions under which these hearings occur, particularly regarding the assessment of maturity, the suitability of the judicial environment, the need for specialized training, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of judicial practices and offers insights to support the development of more consistent, ethical, and child-centred approaches to hearing children in judicial contexts.
Child hearings are a central dimension of children’s rights protection, requiring professional practices that are sensitive, informed, and aligned with the existing legal framework. In the Portuguese context, judges in Family Courts play a decisive role in determining whether, when, and how a child should be heard, directly influencing the extent to which the child’s views are considered in the decision-making process. Despite the normative emphasis on child participation, significant conceptual, ethical, and institutional challenges persist, highlighting the need to understand how judges perceive and operationalize this right in their daily practice. This qualitative study aims to explore judges’ representations of the child hearing process, identifying underlying rationales, models of practice, decision criteria, challenges, and perceived areas for improvement. Intensive semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine judges from different regions of mainland Portugal, following institutional authorization and strict adherence to ethical principles, including confidentiality, anonymity, and voluntary participation. Data analysis combined deductive and inductive procedures, integrating theoretical contributions with meanings emerging from the participants’ narratives. The findings reveal tensions between the normative framework and the practical conditions under which these hearings occur, particularly regarding the assessment of maturity, the suitability of the judicial environment, the need for specialized training, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of judicial practices and offers insights to support the development of more consistent, ethical, and child-centred approaches to hearing children in judicial contexts.