We are on track to deliver Scotland’s first ‘Barnahus’ – a single location alternative to courts, social work offices and police stations for children who have experienced or witnessed crime – in spring next year.
Work has begun to build the Bairns Hoose in North Strathclyde, and members of our team have been visiting Sweden to share learning about how to roll out the Barnahus model, in a way that puts the needs of children at its heart.
We were invited to Stockholm to share learning at the international Barnahus Forum, part of the EU Promise Network, which leads the roll out of best practice across Europe.
As well as taking part in the forum and visiting Barnahus, the team met with Save the Children in Stockholm, who have supported the development of Barnahus across Sweden, to hear more about the successes and challenges they have faced.
Building work to create the Children 1st Bairns Hoose began in November. It involves converting a residential house into a homely environment where children can recover from their traumatic experiences.
We are designing the Bairns Hoose alongside children and their families to be warm, welcoming and put children’s needs first. At the Bairns Hoose, children will be able to give their evidence, receive medical assessment, take part in decision making about their care and protection and receive support to recover from the trauma they have experienced. A key aim of the Bairns Hoose is to dramatically reduce the number of times a child has to retell the story of what has happened to them, to avoid further trauma and help them to recover more quickly.
Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children 1st, said:
“We are delighted that work has now begun to build ‘Barnahus’ in Scotland. As the building work begins, it is inspiring to visit Sweden, learning from countries across Europe that have already developed Barnahus about what it is that makes the approach truly transformational for child victims and witnesses.
“The evidence we’re hearing from members of the EU Promise is that providing all of the services a child needs when they are a victim or witness to crime, into a child-friendly, single-location is what makes a massive difference. Our ambition, thanks to funding from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery through the Dream Fund, is to develop a Bairns Hoose that sets the gold standard for Scotland and inspires the roll out of the approach across the country.”
Retired Sheriff David Mackie, a member of the Bairns Hoose Delivering the Vision group, who also attended the Barnahus Forum in Sweden, said:
“It is striking to see the contrast between the Swedish Barnahus and the environments in which we, in Scotland, expect children to give their best evidence. It is absolutely clear how important it is to ensure that Scotland’s Bairns Hooses include police, social work, medical care, justice and recovery under one roof, and in an environment where children feel safe and cared for. I look forward to continuing to work with Children 1st and their partners to help overcome the challenges of bringing justice, social work, police, health and trauma recovery together through Bairns Hoose, so that justice is done, without causing children further trauma.”
One young person, who shared their experiences of the current system as part of the Children 1st Sharing Stories for Change report said:
“When I had to talk to the police about my dad, I was taken away to a police station away from home and had to talk to two people in a small room with a camera. I wasn't allowed my mum or anyone I trusted. I felt really scared.”
Listening to children and young people’s experiences is at the heart of the development of the Children 1st Bairns Hoose and we are supporting the EU Promise Network to strengthen their Barnahus Standard on participation.
We are delivering the Bairns Hoose in partnership with Victim Support Scotland, Edinburgh University and Children England, along with police, social work, justice and health services in the North Strathclyde area.
The Bairns Hoose has been made possible thanks to funding from the players of People’s Postcode Lottery, through the Dream Fund.
The Scottish Government has committed to making a Bairns Hoose available for all children who are victims of violence in Scotland by 2025.
Find out more about Scotland’s first ‘Barnahus’.