The Lighthouse, London reports that Members of Parliament, Peers and partners from the health, care, criminal justice and charity sectors joined the Lighthouse team at an event in the House of Commons in February to hear more about the role of Barnahus in supporting child victims of sexual abuse.
“The Lighthouse is based in Camden and run by University College Hospitals, working with the Met Police and NSPCC. The service brings together health and therapeutic services, law enforcement, criminal justice, case management and specialist advice and advocacy services under one roof. The Lighthouse is England’s first Child House and is commissioned to support children from five boroughs in North Central London only.
The House of Commons event heard from Bragi Gudbrandsson, founder of the Barnahus (Child House) model and vice chair of the UN Committee on the rights of the Child, Dame Rachel De Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England and Claire Waxman, Victims’ Commissioner for London who gave their reflections on the international and national picture, why the Child House model is so important for child victims and their families, and how we can support a national roll-out.
Bragi Guobrandsson, founder of the first Barnahus (Child House) in Iceland, said,
“It was wonderful to join the Lighthouse team in Parliament to share learning from the growing network of Barnahus across Europe. One of the benefits of the Child House model is its flexibility and how it can work well in different legal and judiciary systems in different countries. What all Child Houses have in common is how the holistic care and support they provide is helping child victims of sexual abuse heal and achieve justice.”
Dame Rachel De Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, added,
“I am a huge advocate of the Child House model and it was wonderful to share a platform with Bragi Gudbrandsson who founded the model in Iceland. The Lighthouse and the Child House model is a shining example of how services can be brought together under one roof to help child victims of sexual abuse feel cared for, listened to, and get justice. I would like to see many more Child Houses across the country.”
Dr Sara Stoneham, divisional clinical director for Children and Young People’s services at UCLH, said,
“The Lighthouse is a really special place where children and young people who have been the victims of the most terrible crimes can receive the care and support they need in one place without having to repeat their story multiple times. It was a fantastic opportunity to share the wonderful work of the Lighthouse with politicians and partners.”
This Lighthouse parliamentary event was a result of the service’s efforts in strategic engagement over the last three years since the conclusion of the Lighthouse pilot.
There has been significant interest in the service and Barnahus from regional and national experts and decision-makers, and the team regularly shares their expertise with the health, safeguarding and criminal justice sectors, including supportive MPs, peers and policy advisers. The Lighthouse is receiving increasing recognition and endorsement as a model of best practice in government and the Children’s Commissioner of England and the London Victims Commissioner have called for a national rollout of Barnahus in England.”
Many thanks for The Lighthouse for submitting the above text about this event. For further information about the Lighthouse, please contact Effi Stergiopoulou, Lighthouse Strategy Lead, at lighthouse.ask@nhs.net.