The event will present and discuss the latest research and practices related to harmful sexual behaviour in children, as well as measures to ensure justice that fully respects and protects the best interests of the child. The conference aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue and promote the exchange of experiences that strengthen the protection of children’s rights at both national and international levels.

Conference organisers: the Office of the Ombudsperson for Child’s Rights of the Republic of Lithuania, the Committee on Social Affairs and Labour of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania, the Committee on Legal Affairs of the Seimas, the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania, the British Council in Lithuania, and the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania.

DAY 1: Understanding and responding to harmful sexual behaviour displayed by children (November 24, 2025)

The first day of the conference will be dedicated to the topic of harmful sexual behaviour in children. This is a pressing global issue, and although an increasing number of studies examine it, significant gaps in knowledge, policy, and response remain both within European jurisdictions and at the international level. It is essential to approach this issue sensitively and with a child-centred focus, placing the child at the core of policy and practice, and adhering to a clear system of children’s rights and the principles of human rights, children’s rights, and child-friendly justice (Hackett, S. (2025). Study on sexual violence and harmful sexual behaviour displayed by children: Nature, causes, consequences and responses. Council of Europe).

Programme

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Conference photos

DAY 2: Child friendly justice: rethinking the role of forensic psychiatric or psychological expertise in cases involving child victims (November 25, 2025)

The second day of the conference will be dedicated to the theme of child-friendly justice, with particular emphasis on assessing the established practice of child forensic psychiatric and/or psychological evaluations and exploring opportunities for its improvement. International experience indicates that greater attention must be given to the position of children in criminal proceedings and that new approaches may be needed – such as revising the procedures for ordering and conducting evaluations, adapting applied methodologies to avoid subjecting the child to repeated interviews, and other measures.
As Lithuania fulfils its commitments to promoting child-friendly justice and safeguarding the rights of child victims, it must ensure that criminal proceedings are as accommodating to children as possible and minimise any (re)traumatisation throughout the process.

Programme

Watch online (in English):

Conference photos