The State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service’s participation in the disputes concerning a child

The Civil Code of the Republic of Lithuania stipulates that the participation of the territorial division of the State Child Rights Protection and Adoption Service is necessary in the examination of disputes concerning children. In cases concerning disputes concerning children, the territorial division of the Service provides an opinion in the case.

In collecting the data needed to provide opinion, the Service carries out a study of family environmental conditions, i.e. visits the child's parents 'places of residence, collects information about parents' workplaces, income, other cohabitants, living conditions, their suitability for growing up, Service specialists also communicate with the child's parents, listen to the child's opinion, check data in State registers and information systems about the family and, following these steps, makes a reasoned suggestion to the court as to which way of resolving the dispute would best suit the best interests of the child and which would be in the best interests of the child in the near future.

The importance of the child‘s opinion in examining the dispute concerning a child

The child who is able to express his or her opinion must be heard when dealing with all matters related to the child. The child's opinion must be taken into account. As result of immaturity, upbringing gaps and for similar reasons, wishes and interests of the child not always coincide. Therefore, in each case it is necessary to find out whether the child's wishes correspond to his or her interests. If wishes of the child are contrary to his or her interests, the court must adopt the judgement in the best interest of the child.