未成年子女意見陳述權之保障——英國子女參與式調解制度之研究

A Study on the UK Child Inclusive Mediation: Guarantee of Minor Children's Right to be Heard

有關子女程序參與權與意見陳述權的概念以及行使方式，我國法律制度下並不清楚。2022年因為「台義爭女案」一案受到關注，憲法法庭作成111年憲判字第8號判決，重申關於未成年子女之正當程序參與應如何保障始為合憲，學者亦認為家事非訟程序因採取職權探知主義，特別增設許多保障關係人聽審請求權之規定，更明定法院「應」聽取子女意見。未成年子女如已有表意可能，若在任何審級之法院均未「親自」聽取子女意見，亦未選任程序監理人時，並不符合家事事件法立法意旨及聯合國兒童權利公約的規定，更不符合憲法正當程序之要求。然而，若能將此程序保障提前至調解程序，讓未成年子女有機會直接行使其意見陳述權，對於其程序參與的保障應更為完整。而英國正在進行的子女參與式調解（Child Inclusive Mediation）制度，產出的一系列指引規則，實務效果顯著，其發展經驗適足以補足我國現行法制下子女程序參與權不完整的問題，並可供我國未來進行家事調解法制的改革參考，不僅保護子女程序參與權，更能促進家事紛爭的和諧解決。

The concept and implementation of children’s rights to participation and expression are not evident in the legal system of our country. In a parental rights dispute between a Taiwanese mother and an Italian father, the TCC Judgment 111-Hsien-Pan-8 (2022) (Case on the Preliminary Injunction regarding the Change of the Parental Rights and Duties) reaffirmed how the due process participation of minor children should be protected in oder to be constitutional. Scholars also believe that, as an inquisitorial approach applies to family proceedings, specific provisions have been added to protect the rights of interested parties to request hearings, as well as to require the courts to hear the children’s opinions. Suppose the minor children can express their opinions. In that case, if the children's opinions are not heard“in person”at any court level and a supervisor of the proceedings is not appointed then this would not comply with the legislative intent of the Family Act and the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, nor meet the requirements of constitutional due process. However, this procedural protection can be advanced to the mediation process so that minor children can directly exercise their right to state their opinions. In that case, the protection of their participation in the process would be more complete. The ongoing Child Inclusive Mediation (Child Inclusive Mediation) system in the UK has produced a series of guiding rules with significant practical effects. Its development experience is sufficient to compensate for the incompleteness of children’s procedural participation rights under Taiwan’s current legal system. It can be used as a reference for Taiwan’s future family mediation legal system reform. It will protect children’s right to participate in the process and promote the harmonious resolution of family disputes.