šőűršői, ar ko saskaras bűrni ar garěga rakstura traucűjumiem saistěbů ar tiesěbu aizsardzěbas lědzekőu pieejaměbulatvijőfoto: © unicef/nyhq2011-1044/holtšőűršői, ar ko saskaras bűrni ar garěga rakstura traucűjumiem saistěbů ar tiesěbu aizsardzěbas lědzekőu pieejaměbulatvijő2015isbn 978-615-5577-11-6barriers children with mental disabilities face in accessing justice in latvia copyright statement:© mental disability advocacy center (mdac), 2015. all rights reserved.šajő faktu lapő ir izmantoti no 2013. lűdz 2015.gadam űstenotő pőtűjuma dati. pőtűjums tika veikts eiropas projekta par tiesűbu aizsardzűbas lűdzekěu pieejaműbu bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem ietvaros. projektő piedalűjős desmit eiropas savienűbas (es) dalűbvalstis. detalizőta informőcija par pőtűjumu pieejama projekta tűmekěa vietnő: www.mdac.org/accessing-justice-children.2015.iedzűvotőji:1,983,300cilvőki, kas jaunőki par 18bőrni ar invaliditőti:dati nav pieejamiinstitucionalizőti bőrni:1952no kuriem bőrni ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem: 824ano konvencijas par bőrna tiesűbőm (uncrc) ratiůcőšanas datums: 1992. gada 14. aprűlisano konvencijas par personu ar invaliditőti tiesűbőm (uncrpd) ratiůcőšanas datums: 2010. gada 1. martsefektžvas nepilngadžgo tiesvedžbas sistůmas neesamžba latvijő nav skaidri deůnőts nepilngadűgo tiesvedűbas jődziens un nav skaidras ůlozoůjas, kas varőtu palűdzőt izveidot noteiktu un saprotamu nepilngadűgo tiesvedűbas sistőmu. nav specializőtu tiesu, kuras varőtu izskatűt lietas, kas skar bőrnus, turklőt arű tiesűbu aktos paredzőtas tikai dažas űpašas bőrniem piemőrojamas procedůras. bůrnu ar garžga rakstura traucůjumiem lždzdalžba un saprďtžgi pielďgojumi lai gan bőrnu tiesűbu aizsardzűbas likuma 13.panta 1.paredz bőrna „tiesűbas brűvi izteikt savas domas, šajő nolůkő saďemt un sniegt jebkőda veida informőciju, tiesűbas tikt uzklausűtam, kő arű tiesűbas uz apziďas un ticűbas brűvűbu”, un 13.panta 3.punktő ir arű noteikts, ka „jebkurős [..] jomős, kas skar bőrna intereses, bőrna viedoklim veltőma pienőcűga vőrűba atbilstoši viďa vecumam un briedumam”, tiesűbu aizsardzűbas lűdzekěu jomő šűs likuma normas darbojas neefektűvi, it sevišňi gadűjumos, kas skar bőrnus ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem. šajos gadűjumos, lai uzzinőtu bőrna viedokli, drűzők tiek iesaistűti psihologi un citi medicűniskie eksperti, taťu paša bőrna viedoklis tiek uzklausűts reti. administratűvajős lietős un civillietős var piedalűties vien bőrni, kas sasnieguši 15gadu vecumu (skatiet civilprocesa likuma pantu, civillikuma 177.pantu un administratűvő procesa 2015.gada aprőűa dati, latvijas republikas centrőlő statistikas pőrvalde, pieejams: http://www.csb.gov.lv/en/statistikas-temas/population-key-indicators-30624.htm(pědějo reizi skatőts 2015.gada 27.latvijas republikas centrőlő statistikas pőrvalde, 2011.gada tautas skaitőšana, pieejams: http://data.csb.gov.lv/pxweb/en/tautassk_11/tautassk_11__tsk2011/tsg11-02.px/table/tableviewlayout1/?rxid=a79839fe-11ba-4ecd-8cc3-4035692c5fc (pědějo reizi skatőts 2015.gada 27.2012.gadő. avots: labklőjőbas ministrija, pieejams: http://www.lm.gov.lv/text/2486 (pědějo reizi skatőts 2013.gada 14.augustő).tostarp 524běrni ar intelektuőlős attőstőbas traucějumiem, 209běrni ar mőcőšanős traucějumiem un 91běrns ar psihosociőliem traucějumiem. avots: turpat.2012. gada dati, pieejami: http://www.lm.gov.lv/text/2486 (pědějo reizi skatőts 2013. gada 14. augustő). a.judins, juvenőlő justőcija latvijő: ieskats par labo praksi un juvenőlős justőcijas reformas problěmőm, pieejams latviešu valodő: http://politika.lv/article_ůles/2503/original/judins.pdf?1382680126dějo reizi skatőts 2013.oktobrő), 15.likuma 21.pantu). bőrnus, kas jaunőki par 7nepilngadűgas personas, kuras liecina pret viďu vecőkiem, vecvecőkiem, brőěiem un mősőm, kő arű personas, kas „savu ůzisko vai psihisko trůkumu dőě nespőj pareizi uztvert apstőkěus, kuriem ir nozűme liető”, nevar izsaukt par lieciniekiem (civilprocesa likuma 106.pants un administratűvő procesa likuma 163.ir jőizveido bőrniem piemőrotőks tiesvedűbas process un vide, un tiesűbu aktos ir jőparedz [bőrna] vecumam atbilstoši saprőtűgi pielőgojumi bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem. nav űpaša regulőjuma par pielőgojumiem, kas civillietu un administratűvo lietu ietvaros tiktu ieviesti bőrnu dőě, taťu kriminőlprocesa likuma 152. un 153.pantő ir paredzőti űpaši pasőkumi nepilngadűgu personu nopratinőšanai kriminőllietu ietvaros. bőrnu tiesűbu aizsardzűbas likuma 59.panta 5.ir noteikts, ka „ja policijő ir nogődőts bőrns ar űpašőm vajadzűbőm, nodrošinőmi apstőkěi viďa űpašo vajadzűbu apmierinőšanai, kő arű, ja nepieciešams, pieaicinőms speciőlists medicűniskős un citas palűdzűbas sniegšanai bőrnam”, turklőt 2014.gada maijő stőjős spőkő ministru kabineta noteikumi nr.252 „kőrtűba, kődő policija noskaidro, vai bőrnam ir űpašas vajadzűbas, pieaicina kompetentu speciőlistu un nodrošina apstőkěus bőrna űpašo vajadzűbu apmierinőšanai”.juridiskď palždzžbanav pieejami bezmaksas juridiskős palűdzűbas prakses un palűdzűbas centri, kas sniegtu juridisko palűdzűbu bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem. nav skaidri noteikts, vai bőrnam, kas ir izdarűjis noziegumu vai administratűvu pőrkőpumu un kas ir jaunőks par 14gadiem, ir tiesűbas uz valsts nodrošinőtu juridisko palűdzűbu. tőda pati neskaidrűba pastőv attiecűbő uz lietőm, kas tiek ierosinőtas pašvaldűbu administratűvajős komisijős, proti, administratűvajős lietős, ja bőrns ir sasniedzis 11gadu vecumu, bet nav sasniedzis 14gadu vecumu, bőrnam nevar piespriest atbildűbu par izdarűto pőrkőpumu, un ir jőpőrtrauc šődas lietas izskatűšana, taťu policija var lietas materiőlus nosůtűt pašvaldűbas administratűvajai komisijai, kura pieďem lőmumu par audzinoša rakstura piespiedu lűdzekěa piemőrošanu. uzraudzžbas mehďnismilatvijő ir vairőkas struktůras un iestődes, kas pilda uzraudzűbas pienőkumus (pőrbaudes, uzraudzűbu) saistűbő ar bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem, piemőram, labklőjűbas ministrijas (lm) sociőlo pakalpojumu kvalitőtes kontroles departaments, veselűbas inspekcija, valsts bőrnu tiesűbu aizsardzűbas inspekcija, ieslodzűjuma vietu pőrvalde, specializőtő vairőku nozaru prokuratůra un lr tiesűbsargs, taťu pőtűjuma ietvaros tika konstatőts, ka starp minőtajőm uzraudzűbas iestődőm nav efektűvas savstarpőjas saziďas un sadarbűbas, tődőjődi radot iespőjamus robus uzraudzűbő.pateicoties savőm pilnvarőm pőrbaudűt jebkuru valsts vai pašvaldűbas struktůru, nevalstisko organizőciju vai citu ůzisku vai juridisku personu, labklőjűbas ministrijas pakěautűbő esošő valsts bőrnu tiesűbu aizsardzűbas inspekcija (vbtai) ir efektűvőkais bőrnu tiesűbu aizsardzűbas mehőnisms. 2012.gadő vbtai veica pőrbaudes vizűtes 7bőrnu aprůpes iestődős, lai novőrtőtu, vai ir nodrošinőtas bőrnu ar smagiem garűga rakstura traucőjumiem tiesűbas un intereses. pőrőjős uzraudzűbas un pőrbaudes struktůras raksturo tas, ka tős pőrbaudes vizűtes veic tikai tődos gadűjumos, kad ir saďemtas sůdzűbas. tas it sevišňi attiecas uz lm sociőlo pakalpojumu kvalitőtes kontroles departamentu un veselűbas inspekciju, kas savus apmeklőjumus plőno atkarűbő no saďemtajőm sůdzűbőm.vbtai kopő ar latvijas nevalstisko organizőciju „latvijas kustűba par neatkarűgu dzűvi” ir ieviesusi dažődas metodes bőrnu ar skatiet lm valsts běrnu tiesőbu aizsardzőbas inspekcijas 2012.gada publisko pőrskatu, pieejams: http://www.bti.gov.lv/lat/zinas_par_iestadi/parskati_un_ atskaites/?doc=3317&page (pědějo reizi skatőts 2015.gada 27.aprőlő), 1.garűga rakstura traucőjumiem un bőrnu, kas nespőj sazinőties verbőli vai ar alternatűviem saziďas veidiem, tiesűbu uzraudzűbai. bőrniem ar smagiem garűga rakstura traucőjumiem, kas nespőj verbőli sazinőties un ir ievietoti specializőtős iestődős, tika izstrődőta 48stundu novőrošanas metode, kura pirmo reizi tika izmantota pirms diviem gadiem.2013.gadő vbtai ar centra „dardedze” palűdzűbu arű sőka űstenot uzraudzűbas programmu, lai identiůcőtu seksuőlős vardarbűbas riskus, ar ko saskaras bőrni ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem. šűs programmas ietvaros pőtnieki analizőja iespőjamos seksuőlős vardarbűbas riskus piecős internőtskolős bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem – rezultőtő tika secinőts, ka internőtskolős dzűvojošie bőrni ir pakěauti augstőkam seksuőlős vardarbűbas riskam nekő bőrni, kuri apmeklő parastős vispőrőjős izglűtűbas iestődes, vai sociőlős aprůpes institůciju aprůpőtie bőrni, kuri apmeklő skolas őrpus institůcijas. nőkamajő gadő pőc veiktajőm pőrbaudőm centra „dardedze” eksperti apmőcűja profesionőěus no pőrbaudűtajőm piecőm internőtskolőm, lai palűdzőtu viďiem atpazűt seksuőlős vardarbűbas pazűmes. lai gan šőda apmőcűba vőrtőjama kő laba iniciatűva, lai sasniegtu reőlas pőrmaiďas, apmőcűba bůtu regulőri jőnodrošina visős 40 internőtskolős latvijő.kriminőllietős bőrnu tiesűbu űstenošana netiek efektűvi uzraudzűta, jo šajő jomő neiesaistős ne vbtai, ne tiesűbsargs. bůrnu ar garžga rakstura traucůjumiem tiesžbu pďrkďpumi netiek izmeklůti vai arž šďdas izmeklůšanas ir neefektžvas empűriskős izpőtes rezultőti atklőja, ka tiesűbu pőrkőpumi, it sevišňi seksuőlős vardarbűbas gadűjumi pret institůcijős dzűvojošiem bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem, nereti netiek paziďoti un attiecűgi netiek izmeklőti. pat, ja par tiesűbu pőrkőpumiem tiek ziďots, valsts policijas veiktős izmeklőšanas nereti nav pietiekami efektűvas, proti, lietu izskatűšana ir őrkőrtűgi ilgstoša un izmeklőšanu rezultőtő reti tiek ierosinőtas kriminőllietas, kő visizplatűtőko iemeslu minot sarežřűto informőcija iegžta pětőjuma fokusgrupas diskusijő ar valsts un pašvaldőbu iestőůu pőrstővjiem, kuri atbildőgi par běrnu tiesőbu aizsardzőbu, 2014.martő.detalizětők par šo metodi skatiet inga škestere, pőtűjums par dzűves kvalitőtes izvőrtőjuma metodőm un instrumentiem (1.daűa), rőga: latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, 2012); tamőra vahűina,ves kvalittes izvjuma metodm un instrumentiem (2.daűa), (rőga: latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, 2012) un latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, vadlűnijas dzűves kvalitőtes nodrošinőšanai cilvőkiem ar funkcionőliem traucőjumiem sociőlos, rőga: latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, 2012, http://www.lkndz.lv/lv/?n=dzives_kvalitates_vertesanas_metodologija (pědějo reizi skatőts 2015. gada 27. aprőlő).informőcija iegžta intervijő ar vbtai speciőlistiem, rőgő, 2014. gada 21. februőrő.profesionďňu trťkums, kas ir apmďcžti strďdďt bůrnu ar garžga rakstura traucůjumiem interesůs un darbď ar šďdiem bůrniembőrnu tiesűbu aizsardzűbas likuma 5.panta grozűjumi, kas stőjős spőkő 2013.aprűlű, nosaka, ka profesionőěiem, kuri strődő ar bőrniem, tostarp policijas amatpersonőm, prokuroriem, tiesnešiem, bőriďtiesas darbiniekiem, iestődős strődőjošiem sociőlajiem darbiniekiem, izglűtűbas iestőžu profesionőěiem utt., jőbůt speciőlőm zinőšanőm bőrnu tiesűbu aizsardzűbas jomő, taťu pőtnieki neatrada nevienu izstrődőtu konkrőtu izglűtűbas programmu un űpašas metodes, profesionőěu sagatavošanai darbam un saziďai ar bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem. nav nekődu vadlűniju profesionőěiem par to, kő noskaidrot bőrna ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem vai bőrna, kas nesazinős verbőli, viedokli.efektžvu sťdzžbu iesniegšanas mehďnismu trťkums institťcijďsinstitůcijős nav ieviesti efektűvi sůdzűbu iesniegšanas mehőnismi, kas bőrniem nodrošinőtu iespőju tikt uzklausűtiem, ěautu izteikt sůdzűbas par tiesűbu pőrkőpumiem, kő arű dotu iespőju meklőt ikviens bőrns var saďemt individuőlu atbalstu, zvanot uz bőrnu uzticűbas tőlruni, kas tika ieviests 2006.gadő, psiholořiskő atbalstu un praktisku padomu sniegšanai bőrniem un pusaudžiem par to, kő rűkoties sarežřűtős situőcijős. nav pieejami statistikas dati par to, cik zvanus ir veikuši bőrni ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem.lai gan bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem tőpat kő citiem bőrniem ir tiesűbas iesniegt sůdzűbu vbtai, tős tűmekěa vietnes vieglős valodas izvőlne ir grůti atrodama. savukőrt valsts policijas tűmekěa vietne nav pieejama vieglő valodő. saistűbő ar sůdzűbőm, kas saďemtas no bőrniem ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem, vbtai pőrstővis intervijő atzina, ka prakső šődu sůdzűbu tikpat kő nav, jo bőrni ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem sůdzoties reti11běrnu tiesőbu aizsardzőbas likuma grozőjumi, publicěti „latvijas věstneső”, 118 (4924), 2013.jžnijő, 59.daűa, pieejami tikai latviešu valodő: http://m.likumi.lv/doc.php?id=257679 (pědějo reizi skatőts 2015.gada 27.12intervija ar vbtai speciőlistiem, rőgő, 2014.gada 21.februőrő.statistikas datitrůkst detalizőtu statistikas datu par: sůdzűbu skaitu, ko valsts policijai iesnieguši bőrni ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem vai viďu vecőki/aprůpőtőji;bőrnu ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem skaitu, kuri cietuši bőrnu ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem skaitu, kuri bijuši iesaistűti kriminőllietős, civillietős vai administratűvajős lietős;bőrnu ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem skaitu, kuri bijuši lietu skaitu, kurős vbtai ir bőrnam iecőlusi sevišňo aizbildni saskaďő ar administratűvő procesa likuma 21.panta 2.bőrnu/bőrnu ar űpašőm vajadzűbőm/bőrnu ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem skaitu, kuri ir saďőmuši juridisko palűdzűbu no juridiskős palűdzűbas administrőcijas;bőrnu ar garűga rakstura traucőjumiem skaitu, kuri ir saďőmuši psiholořisku atbalstu, zvanot uz bőrnu uzticűbas tőlruni.9www.mdac.org mentaldisabilityadvocacy@mdacintlbarriers children with mental disabilities face in accessing justice inphoto: © unicef/nyhq2011-1044/holtbarriers children with mental disabilities face in accessing justice in2015isbn 978-615-5577-08-6 barriers children with mental disabilities face in accessing justice in latvia copyright statement:© mental disability advocacy center (mdac), 2015. all rights reserved.this factsheet is based on research conducted between 2013 and 2015 within a european project on access to justice for children with mental disabilities, which took place in ten eu member states. full information can be found on the project website: www.mdac.org/accessing-justice-childrenapril 2015population:1,983,300people under the age of 18:children with disabilities:no data availablechildren in institutions:1952of which, children with mental disabilities: 824date of crc ratiőcation: 14 april 1992date of crpd ratiőcation: 1 march 2010lack of an effective juvenile justice system in latvia, the concept of juvenile justice is not clearly deőned and there is no clear philosophical understanding that would help develop this. there are no special courts for cases that affect children, and the law provides only few special procedures for children. participation of children with mental disabilities and reasonable article 13(1) of the protection of the rights of the child law ensures the child‘s right to “freely express his or her opinions, and for this purpose, to receive and impart any kind of information, the right to be heard, and the right to freedom of conscience and belief”. article 13(3) also states that: “in any […] őelds, which affect the interests of the child, appropriate attention, corresponding to the age and maturity of the child, shall be paid to the opinion of the child”. despite these legislative safeguards, the provisions are not effective in the őeld of justice, and particularly in cases which concern children with mental disabilities. in these cases, procedures instead involve psychologists or medical specialists to assess the child, rather than ensuring that the child is heard directly in proceedings. in administrative and civil proceedings, only children who have reached the age of 15 can directly participate (article 72 of the civil procedure law, article 177 of the civil law and article 21 of the administrative procedure law). “minors – regarding facts that testify against their parents, grandparents, brothers at april 2015. data available on the webpage of the central statistical bureau of the republic of latvia at: http://www.csb.gov.lv/en/statistikas-temas/population-key-indicators-30624.html (last accessed 27 april 2015).at march 2011. data available in the online database of the central statistical bureau of the republic of latvia at http://data.csb.gov.lv/pxweb/en/tautassk_11/tautassk_11__tsk2011/tsg11-02.px/table/tableviewlayout1/?rxid=d762f1b8-8014-457d-abbe-82068e9c3724 (last accessed 27 april 2015).in 2012. data available in latvian on the webpage of the ministry or welfare at: www.lm.gov.lv/text/2486, (last accessed 14 august 2013).including 524 children with intellectual disability; 209 children with “learning difőculties” and 91 children with psycho-social disabilities.in 2012. data available in latvian on the webpage of the ministry or welfare at: /www.lm.gov.lv/text/2486 (last accessed 14 august 2013).a. judins, “juvenile justice system in latvia: insight into good practice and problems of reforms of juvenile justice”, (presentation, 2010) available only in latvian at: http://politika.lv/article_őles/2503/original/judins.pdf?138268012st accessed 25 october 2013), p.15.or sisters; persons whose physical or mental deőciencies render them incapable of correctly perceiving circumstances of signiőcance to the matter; and children less than seven years of age” cannot be heard as witnesses (article 106 of the civil procedural law; article 163 of the administrative procedure law). nonetheless in administrative procedures a special guardian can be appointed for the child who will act in his/her best interests and represent his/her rights. special guardians are mandated to help the child form his/her opinion and clarify the opinion of the child to the court. with regard to the effectiveness of this mechanism in administrative procedures, it would be advisable to apply it in civil cases as well.it is necessary to develop more child-friendly proceedings and an environment to guarantee in law that reasonable, procedural and age-appropriate accommodations are provided to children with mental disabilities. there are no special provisions on such accommodations for children in civil and administrative proceedings, although articles 152 and 153 of the criminal procedure law ensure special measures for the interview of minors in criminal cases. article 59(5) of the protection of the rights of the child law also provides that: “if a child with special needs has been conveyed to the police, conditions for fulőlling the special needs of the child shall be ensured and if necessary a specialist can be invited to provide medical or other support to the child”. in may 2014, regulation no. 252 of the cabinet of ministers on procedures for the police on determination as to whether the child has special needs and competent specialists should be involved, and to ensure suitable conditions satisfying the special needs of the child entered into force. thus, police will be obliged to introduce more child-friendly procedures that will correspond to their special needs. legal assistancethere are no free legal clinics providing support to children with mental disabilities. if the child is younger than 14 years of age, he/she cannot be held accountable for committed crime, therefore he/she can be transferred either to court or to the administrative commissions. it is, however, not speciőed whether this procedure falls under the state provided legal aid scheme or not. the same question is relevant in cases which are brought before the municipal administrative commission: in administrative cases, if the child has reached 11 years of age, but is younger than 14 years of age, she/he cannot be held accountable for the committed violation, and examination of the case has to be terminated, however the police may send the materials to a municipal administrative commission which makes a decision on the application of correctional measures. monitoring mechanismsthere are several bodies and authorities that perform supervisory duties (inspection, monitoring) in relation to children with mental disabilities, such as the social services quality control department of the ministry of welfare, the health inspectorate, the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights, the prison administration and the specialised several sector prosecutor and the ombudsman. it was noted during the course of this research, however, that the various bodies do not consistently communicate or cooperate effectively, leaving open the potential for monitoring gaps. the most effective of these bodies appears to be the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights. it has a broad mandate to protect the rights of all children, and can investigate state or local government bodies, non-governmental organisations, as well the actions of natural or legal persons.in 2012, the inspectorate carried out monitoring visits to 7 child care institutions to assess whether the rights and interests of children with “severe mental disorders” were properly protected. whilst the inspectorate also has a preventive function, the other monitoring and inspection bodies only carry out investigations following a speciőc complaint. this is especially true in relation to the social services quality control department of the ministry of welfare and the health inspectorate, which conduct visits when complaints are received.the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights, together with the movement for independent living, a latvian ngo, have developed different methods for monitoring the rights of children with mental disabilities, children who are non-verbal, and for children who use alternative methods of communication. for children with severe mental disabilities who are placed in institutions and who are non-verbal, they have developed a method of conducting 48-hour long observation, which őrst was used in 2013.in 2013, the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights, with the assistance of the “dardedze” centre, launched a state-őnanced monitoring and training programme with the aim of identifying the risks of sexual abuse against children with mental disabilities. within the framework of this programme, researchers analysed possible risks of sexual abuse in őve boarding schools for children with mental disabilities, the results of which revealed that in these closed institutions, risks of sexual abuse are higher than in mainstream schools and social care institutions where children are cared for but are educated in schools outside the institution. in the following year of the programme, experts of the “dardedze” centre provided special training for professionals working in the őve boarding schools that had been monitored, to help them identify forms of sexual abuse. although the training was a good initiative, to achieve real change, trainings should have been delivered systematically, in all 40 boarding schools of latvia.neither the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights, nor the ombudsman‘s ofőce monitor the rights of children with mental disabilities in the sphere of criminal justice. violations of the rights of children with mental disabilities are not investigated or investigations are ineffective findings of empirical research conducted in the course of this project revealed that rights violations, especially cases of sexual abuse of children with mental disabilities living in institutions, often remain unreported and are not effective. even where rights violations are reported, investigations of the state police are ineffective: processes are extremely long and investigations rarely result in prosecutions. one of the common reasons cited for this is the difőculties of gathering evidence, reűecting a lack of specialisation and training for investigators. see labklűjőbas ministrijas, pűrskats: valsts běrnu tiesőbu aizsardzőbas inspekcijas 2012. gada publiskais pűrskats [ministry of welfare, the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights public report 2012] (riga: labklűjőbas ministrijas, 2013), available at: http://www.bti.gov.lv/lat/zinas_par_iestadi/parskati_un_atskaites/?doc-3317&page (last accessed 27 april 2015), p.1.for more information on this method, see inda škestere, pőtűjums par dűves kvalitőtes izvőrtőjuma metodőm un instrumentiem (1.daůa) [study on methods and instruments for assessing quality of life, part 1] (riga:latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, 2012); tamara vahlina, pőtűjums par dűves kvalitőtes izvőrtőjuma metodőm un instrumentiem (2.daůa) [study on methods and instruments for assessing quality of life, part 2] (riga: latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, 2012) and latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, vadlűnijas dzűves kvalitőtes nodrošinőšana i cilvőkiem ar funkcionőliem traucőjumiem sociőlos pakalpojumos [latvian movement for independent living, guidelines for improving quality of life of people with disabilities in social services] (riga:latvijas kustőba par neatkarőgu dzővi, 2012), available in latvian at http://www.lkndz.lv/lv/?n=dzives_kvalitates_vertesanas_metodologija (last accessed 27 april 2015).information gathered through an interview with the representatives of the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights, riga: 21 february 2014.10information gathered through a focus group discussion with representatives of state and municipal agencies responsible for protection of children‘s rights: 25 march 2014.lack of professionals trained to work for or with children with mental disabilitiesamendments to article 5 of the protection of the rights of the child law that entered into force on 4 april 2013 oblige professionals working with children – including police ofőcers, prosecutors, judges, professionals working at the orphans‘ courts, staff in institutions, staff in educational institutions, etc. – to have expertise in children‘s rights. researchers were unable to identify, however, speciőc professional training programmes to achieve this. there are no guidelines for professionals on how to őnd out the opinion of child with mental disabilities or those who do not communicate verbally.lack of effective complaints mechanisms in institutionsthere are no accessible mechanisms in institutions on how to listen to children, which would enable them to complain about all children can seek individual support by calling a children‘s hotline which was established in 2006 with the aim of providing psychological support for children and teenagers and practical advice about what to do in such situations. no statistics are available on calls initiated by children with mental although children with mental disabilities, just like all children, have the right to submit a complaint to the state inspectorate for protection of children‘s rights, the website in easy-to-read-language is not easily accessible. the webpage of the police is not available in easy-to-read format. with regard to complaints received from children with mental disabilities, the representative of the state inspectorate for protection of children‘s rights said in an interview that there are few complaints, “because children with mental disabilities mostly do not complain”.11amendments to the protection of the rights of the child law, published in “latvijas věstnesis”, 118 (4924), 20 june 2013, article 59 part 4, available in latvian at: http://m.likumi.lv/doc.php?id=257679(last accessed 27 april 2015).interview with the representatives of the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights, riga: 21 february 2014.statistical datathere is a lack of disaggregated statistical data on: the number of complaints made to the police by children with mental disabilities or their parents/carers;the number of child victims with mental disabilities;the number of children with mental disabilities participating in criminal, civil and administrative procedures;the number of children with mental disabilities participating in proceedings at orphan‘s courts;the number of cases where special guardians have been appointed by the state inspectorate for the protection of children‘s rights according to art 21, part 2 of the administrative procedure law;the number of children with and without mental disabilities who received legal aid from the legal aid administration; the number of children with mental disabilities who received psychological support via the children‘s hotline.www.mdac.org mentaldisabilityadvocacy@mdacintl
