Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of Children

Both adults with declining cognitive abilities (DCA) and children may experience limits in their decision-making capacity. Yet whereas this decision-making capacity increases for children as they age and mature, it gradually decreases in the case of adults with DCA. The Convention on the Rights of t...

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Main Authors: Charlotte Mol, Fiore Schuthof
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Utrecht University School of Law 2024-10-01
Series:Utrecht Law Review
Subjects:
Online Access:https://account.utrechtlawreview.org/index.php/up-j-ulr/article/view/951
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author Charlotte Mol
Fiore Schuthof
author_facet Charlotte Mol
Fiore Schuthof
author_sort Charlotte Mol
collection DOAJ
description Both adults with declining cognitive abilities (DCA) and children may experience limits in their decision-making capacity. Yet whereas this decision-making capacity increases for children as they age and mature, it gradually decreases in the case of adults with DCA. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) contain several decision-making rights and principles that are relevant for these groups. This article compares these decision-making rights and principles by addressing four key aspects in decision-making: the decision-maker, the types of decisions, the right to participation versus the right to support in the exercise of legal capacity, and the best interests principle. Through the comparison and the visualisation of a conceptual model, insights and lessons for both children and adults with DCA are sought.
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spelling doaj-art-04dea812f14d4b1a9af9e2053b7ee99a2024-11-18T07:45:18ZengUtrecht University School of LawUtrecht Law Review1871-515X2024-10-0120224–3924–3910.36633/ulr.951939Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of ChildrenCharlotte Mol0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9078-1856Fiore Schuthof1https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3254-9446Assistant Professor, Utrecht Centre for European Research into Family Law (UCERF), Utrecht UniversityPhD Candidate, Utrecht Centre for European Research into Family Law (UCERF), Utrecht UniversityBoth adults with declining cognitive abilities (DCA) and children may experience limits in their decision-making capacity. Yet whereas this decision-making capacity increases for children as they age and mature, it gradually decreases in the case of adults with DCA. The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) contain several decision-making rights and principles that are relevant for these groups. This article compares these decision-making rights and principles by addressing four key aspects in decision-making: the decision-maker, the types of decisions, the right to participation versus the right to support in the exercise of legal capacity, and the best interests principle. Through the comparison and the visualisation of a conceptual model, insights and lessons for both children and adults with DCA are sought.https://account.utrechtlawreview.org/index.php/up-j-ulr/article/view/951convention on the rights of the childconvention on the rights of persons with disabilitiesdecision-making capacitylegal capacityadults with declining cognitive abilitiesbest interests principle
spellingShingle Charlotte Mol
Fiore Schuthof
Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of Children
Utrecht Law Review
convention on the rights of the child
convention on the rights of persons with disabilities
decision-making capacity
legal capacity
adults with declining cognitive abilities
best interests principle
title Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of Children
title_full Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of Children
title_fullStr Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of Children
title_full_unstemmed Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of Children
title_short Comparing the Decision-making Rights of Adults with Declining Cognitive Abilities with Those of Children
title_sort comparing the decision making rights of adults with declining cognitive abilities with those of children
topic convention on the rights of the child
convention on the rights of persons with disabilities
decision-making capacity
legal capacity
adults with declining cognitive abilities
best interests principle
url https://account.utrechtlawreview.org/index.php/up-j-ulr/article/view/951
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