On October 1 and 2, 44 employees from 40 Latvian child protection offices enhanced their knowledge of children’s rights protection in the United Kingdom at the Ministry of Justice. The training aimed to ensure faster return of Latvian children to their families when involved in cross-border family disputes. As Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere emphasized, the state has a duty to protect its children worldwide, and professional action by child protection services is crucial in safeguarding children’s best interests.
Addressing child protection officers from Zemgale, Latgale, Vidzeme, Kurzeme, and Riga, Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere highlighted: “A significant number of Latvian citizens live in the United Kingdom, and it is our duty to ensure that every child – whether there or elsewhere in the world – feels protected. It is extremely important that children in difficult situations can return to Latvia to be with their families and relatives as quickly as possible. That is why these trainings are so important – the more professional and informed child protection officers are about international cooperation in securing the child’s best interests, the safer and better protection our children will receive abroad.”
Every year, the Ministry of Justice handles approximately 30–40 cases involving Latvian children who have been separated from their parental families or are at risk of such separation in England and Wales. In these countries, foster care assessment requirements are much stricter than in Latvia, making it essential that child protection officers understand international specifics and can prepare high-quality evaluations.
The training was led by social workers Nadina Veslovska and Esther Stone from the United Kingdom’s International Social Service Department. The program deepened and enhanced the knowledge, understanding, and skills of Latvian child protection officers in potential foster care assessments within the framework of international cooperation with the UK. This will facilitate timely and accurate transfer of necessary information to competent authorities in England, ensuring the protection of the rights and interests of Latvian children abroad. Consequently, Latvian children will have a greater chance to be placed with their relatives in Latvia rather than with foreign families, and cases involving the United Kingdom will be resolved faster and with less bureaucracy.
“As Minister of Justice, my priority is to create a child-friendly legal environment in family dispute and divorce cases. We are purposefully working to reduce retraumatization and institutional harm to children by avoiding their involvement in repeated procedures and legal actions,” said the minister. “These trainings are also an excellent opportunity to share experiences and strengthen the child protection system as a whole.”
The trainings are held with the support of the Ministry of Welfare under the State Programme for Improving the Status of the Child and Family 2025 and are organized by the Children’s Protection Centre.
