In its 25-plus year history, #UNELaw has never had as many interesting units as it currently does. A good example of this is the new Children’s Law unit.
This unit would be ideal for students who are interested in practising in the areas of Criminal Law, Care and Protection Law, parenting matters in Family Law, and Adoption and Immigration Law. It is also relevant to students who have an interest in children’s issues, especially the rights of children and the issues our community grapples with when dealing with Children’s Law issues.
Children’s Law is being coordinated by barrister-at law and academic Karen Conte. Karen is the perfect choice as coordinator of this unit- she has worked with children as both a primary school educator and barrister specialising in Family Law. When Karen was a school teacher and principal she was particularly interested in pedagogy and educational psychology and the ways children learn and understand. Now she is working as a barrister, she often appears as an Independent Children’s Lawyer in parenting matters and undertakes Children’s Court work including crime and care and protection.
This unit explores many aspects of our Australian legal system as it applies to children. Karen Conte notes ‘perhaps the most interesting aspect of this unit is that the issues we cover are developing and unfolding regularly. This is especially the case for innovations in the criminal justice system and the current controversies surrounding ‘Doli Incapax.’ 
The unit starts by outlining Australia’s obligations on the international stage in relation to children. It reviews the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the way this Convention has been adopted in Australia. This serves as the springboard for many other legal considerations as they apply to children. For example, students will investigate aspects of Criminal Law as it applies to children including the Youth Justice System and the implementation of various initiatives within this area including the Youth Koori Court. In addition, the unit investigates current issues relating to indigenous, cultural and religious perspectives of Children’s Law, as well as other issues impacting on Children’s Law.
Thank you, Karen, for offering this course within #UNELaw’s unit offerings.
