The Expert Group engages in regional exchange on children at risk, both within their regular meetings and also through specially arranged activities.
In adopting these documents, the Expert Group agreed that it will continue to stimulate dialogue and exchange on cross-border concerns, to develop and nurture strategic partnership and to contribute to the development and implementations of tangible projects to promote children’s rights and bolster national child protection systems.
At the 1998 Summit in Riga, the Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers supported CBSS initiated cooperation activities on children at risk, which firmly established the regional work and commitment to protecting children at risk under the auspices of CBSS.
The meeting identified strategic recommendations for enhanced regional and cross-regional cooperation in the shared ambition of achieving target 16.2 which calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against children.
With the concept of becoming a ‘Barnahus on the internet,’ the idea for a regional IT network first arose in 1998. This became the now-retired “Child Centre” website, and was a key development in the establishment of the Expert Group.
Additionally, the Expert Group welcomed a change of the Head of Unit and took note of the new long-term priorities of the CBSS.
The Expert Group also took up the issues of online sexual abuse, early intervention, and trafficking for criminality.
The rights of children in institutions and online sexual abuse were also taken up during this time.
The 2004-2005 Finnish chairmanship of the Expert Group featured a ministerial meeting, progress with the programme on Unaccompanied and trafficked children, and expanded use of the Child Centre.