BEIJING: Chinese courts should educate divorcing parents to ensure their underage children can obtain care and support from their families, according to a new guideline.
The 24-article guideline on family education was issued by the Supreme People’s Court, China’s top court, and the All-China Women’s Federation on Tuesday, aiming to offer stronger protection for children by urging their parents or guardians to fulfill their duties. If juvenile delinquency or misconduct by children’s guardians is discovered, courts will also be allowed to educate the family, said the guideline, which will take effect on Thursday. The new legal document is part of efforts to implement the Family Education Promotion Law, which came into effect on Jan 1 last year and requires courts to educate parents or guardians during case handling if it is found that they behaved improperly.
To meet the requirement, many courts have issued “family education orders” to deal with cases involving juveniles to admonish the minors’ guardians and urge them to fulfill their duties, Duan Nonggen, head of the top court’s Research Office, told a news conference on Tuesday. Citing data showing that 10,308 such orders were issued last year, he revealed that Chinese courts also established 838 institutes on their own or with other departments to promote family education over the past year. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
