Local Children’s Offices as a relevant agents in the promotion and protection of the human rights of children and adolescents

Abstract

The objective of this study is to reflect on the implementation of the Local Children’s Offices. In that sense, Law No. 20.430, on Guarantees and Comprehensive Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents, in addition to creating, also attributes to these local administration bodies competences in matters of promotion and protection of the rights of children and adolescents. Such an eventuality has meant the adoption of a mixed system of protection that comes to dejudicialize –or partially administrative– the model that until now existed in Chile, based essentially on the intervention of the family courts. This article, therefore, investigates the nature of the Local Children’s Offices, as well as examines in detail what their functions are, with particular attention to their relevant role in protection matters.