Step 1 – Getting to Yes
All action to promote progress towards Barnahus begins with taking stock — determining where you are in the process of establishing and operating a Barnahus and what change needs to happen next.
The Competence Centre at the Barnahus Network supports countries to promote a national understanding and commitment to Barnahus, including through exchange and dialogue between relevant agencies in your country. We can also help to develop a national strategy towards establishing Barnahus that practice according to the Barnahus quality standards.
Drawing on our studies, resources and the experience of Barnahus from across Europe, we together look at your specific context, including for example:
- What are the main factors and dynamics that enable the establishment of Barnahus or a comparable model in your country?
- What challenges or obstacles exist and how can they be overcome?
- What action should you be taking to promote progress towards establishing Barnahus in your country?
- What opportunities and resources for advocacy exist?
Find our related courses, publication, and other resources below, or move on to Step 2 – Creating and enabling environment.
Related webinars and publications
20 years of Barnahus – Featuring Bragi Guðbrandsson
Barnahus Quality Standards, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Multidisciplinary, Network, WebinarsBragi Guðbrandsson, head of the Icelandic Government Agency for Child Protection, is the initiator and purveyor of the Barnahus model...
Working together in the best interests of the child
Case management, Child protection, Criminal investigation, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Mental health, Multidisciplinary, Physical health, WebinarsWorking together in the best interests of the child: discussions on the formal agreements and the daily work of multidisciplinary interagency cooperation...
Forensic interview: why, how, and adaptations
Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Forensic interviews, Getting to yes, MultidisciplinaryThis webinar mini-series presents the importance of a forensic interview for child victims and witnesses of violence, how one is conducted, and how to adapt it to the special needs of the child....
At the Crossroads of child-centred criminal and welfare proceedings
Child protection, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, EU Law, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Legal, MultidisciplinaryAt the Crossroads is a legal briefing which explores the considerations for when criminal justice proceedings intersect with child protection proceedings in cases, particularly when they involve child victims of violence. Experience...
Enabling Child-Sensitive Justice – the success story of Barnahus in Europe (2017)
Advocacy, Child friendly, Enabling environment, EU Law, Getting to yesEnabling Child-Sensitive Justice (2017) is an overview of how the Barnahus model has emerged and gradually expanded in Europe. It documents how government officials, practitioners, advocates and entrepreneurs have promoted the model,...
Compendium of Law & Guidance relevant for Barnahus
Advocacy, Barnahus Quality Standards, Child protection, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, EU Law, Getting to yesPolicy makers, legal, social and law enforcement professionals and stakeholders can use this compendium, alone and with the other PROMISE resources, to link their work with the relevant legal provisions for child victims and witnesses...
Advocacy tool for promoting progress on Barnahus in Europe
Advocacy, Barnahus Quality Standards, Enabling environment, Getting to yes, Interagency cooperationThis guidance aims to help you develop national and regional advocacy strategies to promote progress on Barnahus. It discusses what progress means and looks at where we are today in Europe. It provides a step by step approach to...
Adapting the Barnahus concept to local realities
Barnahus Quality Standards, Child friendly, Child protection, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Getting to yes, Interagency cooperation, Mental health, Physical healthBarnahus is a flexible format for providing rapid access to justice and care for child victims and witnesses of violence. Join our webinar Thursday to learn how Barnahus Linköping, Sweden and the Child and Youth Protection Center of...
Barnahus as chameleons
Barnahus Quality Standards, Enabling environment, EU Law, Getting to yes, NetworkThis recording from an international conference held November 2019 features a discussion about the adaptability of the Barnahus concept to national or local contexts. The conversation is held in the context of the Finnish Barnahus-type...
Putting the child at the centre: ensuring an inclusive and child-friendly setup
Child friendly, Child participation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yesThis webinar is aimed at professionals who are in all stages of preparing, planning, and continually improving Barnahus or similar setups which are providing a multidisciplinary and interagency response to child victims and witnesses...
Journey to the Lighthouse – an interview
Advocacy, Competent staff, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Interagency cooperation, MultidisciplinaryIt also features an interview with the author about the Lighthouse, the turning points to launching the service, her motivation to persevere on the long journey to launching it, and what to expect in the future. Special speakers who...
The PROMISE Barnahus Quality Standards
Barnahus Quality Standards, Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Mental health, Multidisciplinary, Physical healthThe PROMISE Barnahus Quality Standards are composed of underlying principles, specific activities and institutional arrangements that enable child-centred and effective, collaborative actions. Find out more and download the Standards...
About the Barnahus model and the Quality Standards
Advocacy, Barnahus Quality Standards, Enabling environment, Getting to yes, MultidisciplinaryOlivia Lind Haldorsson, head of the children at risk at the CBSS and president of the PROMISE Barnahus Network, presents Barnahus and the Barnahus model and the Quality Standards....
Related courses and support
Medical evaluation in Barnahus
Competent staff, Physical healthDepending on your needs, we can offer online or offline sessions with top European experts – including paediatricians and medical forensic doctors, covering a wide range of topics....
MDIA/MDT – Establishing and working in a multidisciplinary interagency team
Competent staff, Enabling environment, Excellence in practice, MultidisciplinaryThis course introduces multidisciplinary and interagency (MDT or MDIA) teamwork. It explores why teams take work, and the essential components of effective teaming....
Forensic interview with avatar practice
Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Establishing Barnahus, MultidisciplinaryThis course offers basic training in child forensic interviews with a specific focus on challenging situation such as interviewing small children and those with special needs. The course consists of one-week online training including...
BaseCan – Introduction to child abuse and neglect
Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Mental health, Multidisciplinary, Physical healthThe course covers different theories and working methods tailored to the work of Barnahus, which are relevant for all staff and competencies covering all four rooms embedded in the multidisciplinary approach: criminal...
Barnahus quality standards training
Enabling environment, Getting to yes, MultidisciplinaryThe Barnahus Quality Standards is not just our hero document, it is also the publication which current and aspiring Barnahus from 22+ countries have contributed to and/or are currently implementing....
TF-CBT – Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy
Child protection, Competent staff, Mental healthA conjoint child and parent psychotherapy model for children who are experiencing significant emotional and behavioral difficulties related to traumatic life events. Successful participants of this course will be certified to practice...
Plan a study visit to a Barnahus
Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Getting to yes, MultidisciplinaryA study visit to a Barnahus is a rite of passage for a team who is studying if Barnahus will work in their context, or who is tasked with establishing one. More than that, it is an unmissable opportunity for aligning a steering group...
Expert consultations
Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Mental health, Multidisciplinary, Physical healthConnect with PROMISE experts to consult on a specific case, to get a second opinion or get specific advice in relation to a specific child protection intervention/case in your Barnahus....
Recording of child interviews
Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yesThere is much more to recording interviews at a Barnahus than setting up a system and hitting record. To best perform its role, a Barnahus must comply with local/international rules and regulations of evidence recording, and be able to...
Professional networking and exchange
Child protection, Criminal investigation, Mental health, Multidisciplinary, Physical healthOur professional networks and exchanges are member-led initiatives based on thematic areas or professional specialization. They support Barnahus staff to connect with their peers from around Europe, and to gain access to a vibrant...
Support desk
Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Mental health, Multidisciplinary, Physical healthAll Network members have access to the support desk service, provided by the PROMISE Barnahus Network Secretariat....
University seminars, Q&As, lectures, and modules
Getting to yes, MultidisciplinaryThe PROMISE Barnahus Network is proud to support courses, workshops and seminars that include modules introducing the Barnahus model. ...
Judicial workshops
Criminal investigation, Establishing Barnahus, Getting to yes, MultidisciplinaryTo convince judges to support the introduction of Barnahus in their national systems, Judge Sigvaldason noted that they often need to hear it from another judge. PROMISE has also seen just how influential it can be for judges to meet...
CFTSI – Child and Family Traumatic Stress Intervention
Child protection, Competent staff, Mental healthA brief early intervention model for children and adolescents that is implemented soon after exposure or disclosure. Successful participants will be certified to practice CFTSI with clients....
Putting children’s rights and procedural safeguards at the heart of barnahus practice
Child protection, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Getting to yes, MultidisciplinaryThis module supports participants in understanding what a child rights based approach implies and considering how to fulfil those rights in day to day practice in the Barnahus....
Forensic medical
Competent staff, Excellence in practice, Physical healthDescription coming soon ......
CPC-CBT – Combined parent-child cognitive behavioural therapy
Competent staff, Excellence in practice, Mental healthChildren and parents work individually and together. Every session ends with a conjoint meeting with the child and the parents for integration and practicing new skills and strategies. Successful participants will be certified to...
Tailor-made training and support
Child protection, Competent staff, Criminal investigation, Enabling environment, Establishing Barnahus, Excellence in practice, Getting to yes, Mental health, Multidisciplinary, Physical healthIn collaboration with you and based on your needs, we will develop a custom intervention that engages top experts in Europe and abroad who will support your work towards establishing Barnahus and meeting the Barnahus Quality Standards....
BaseCan – Online Sexual Violence Against Children
Child protection, Competent staff, Courses and support, MultidisciplinaryThis course on online sexual violence against children designed for professionals in multidisciplinary interagency teams will focus on the features, prevalence, and impact of online child sexual violence. It covers victim...