Protection of the rights and best interests of the child in care proceedings

Ensure that the best interests of the child are a primary consideration in all placement decisions. Recommendation CM/Rec(2025)5, accompanied by its explanatory memorandum, aims to improve the protection of the rights and best interests of the child in the context of care proceedings. It contains principles that member States of the Council of Europe are invited to follow in the course of proceedings dealing with the placement of children into care. When children have to be placed into care, even with appropriate support, authorities are often faced with decisions that have a significant impact on children and those close to them. The consequences of such decisions can be life changing and reach well beyond childhood. This Recommendation provides national authorities with guidance for considering all circumstances that may be relevant when assessing a child’s best interests in care proceedings. They also ensure that the substantial and procedural rights of children affected by such proceedings, including the right to be informed and to be heard, are fully implemented, and the principles of the rule of law, non-discrimination and the timeliness of proceedings are respected