The CCOM project aims to strengthen children’s participation in child protection and welfare systems, with a particular focus on children who have experienced domestic violence. The project develops and pilots a practical methodology that supports professionals in ensuring that children’s views, experiences and needs are meaningfully reflected in decisions that affect their lives.
At the heart of the project is the Children-Centred Operational Mechanism (CCOM), a child-rights-based and trauma-informed approach designed to make child protection processes more transparent, foster trust between children and professionals, and enable children to become active participants rather than passive subjects in matters concerning them.
CCOM is built around the ANCHOR framework (Acknowledge, Navigate, Connect, Hear & Reflect, Open Paths, Review), which provides step-by-step guidance for professionals to listen to children, involve them in decision-making processes, and offer appropriate support throughout their journey.
What do we do?
Throughout the project, we:
- co-create and refine the CCOM methodology together with children and professionals;
- pilot and test the methodology through real-life cases and simulations;
- establish Local Practice Circles to support peer learning and the integration of good practices into everyday professional work;
- develop training and knowledge-sharing materials for child protection and welfare professionals;
- formulate policy recommendations to strengthen child-centred practices and participation within child protection systems.
Expected outcomes
The project will deliver practical tools and methodologies that support child-centred and participation-based child protection practices. It will help children better understand the processes that affect them, participate more safely in decision-making, and have a stronger voice in matters concerning their lives.
For professionals, CCOM provides a shared framework that facilitates collaboration, transparent communication, and trauma-informed support. In the longer term, the project seeks to ensure that children’s participation and the fulfilment of their rights become an integral and natural part of everyday child protection practice.
Project information
- Programme: Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) Programme – Daphne Strand
- Duration: March 2026 – February 2028
- Project ID: 101254416
Project partners
The project is implemented by seven organisations from six European countries, bringing together expertise in child protection, social services, local governance, research and methodology development.
- Association for the Prevention and Handling of Violence in the Family (Cyprus) – Project Coordinator
- Fundatia Inima de Copil (Romania)
- Hintalovon Child Rights Foundation (Hungary)
- Ayuntamiento de Mislata (Spain)
- Comune di Valenzano (Italy)
- Ethniko Kentro Erevnas Kai Technologikis Anaptyxis (CERTH) (Greece)
- Innovation Hive (Greece)
