Is a welfare report prepared by an independent professional or is the decision taken by the Judge alone? If so, does the child meet the Judge?

It depends on the individual case. According to the Code of Civil Procedure, the Court can call for a report on the subject of a child’s welfare which requires special or technical knowledge. Therefore, the Court mostly consults the report, but the Judge has the discretion in the final decision. Also, according to international agreements and Court of Cassation decisions, a child who is able to reason and express his/her opinion can attend to the hearing.