Securing that all relevant authorities and services work together with the child, from initial report to long-term recovery, to protect and support. 

“Promise Journeys” has several objectives, including 1) to design, pilot, and evaluate an adaptable working method for a child liaison who ensures the child is heard, feels comfortable and is safe to participate effectively, 2) to develop practical and child-friendly tools, an app and a child log, to inform child victims/caregivers and to log their journey through Barnahus, and 3) to raise awareness and advocacy on the local, regional, national and international level. 

Children who have suffered violence will be the primary beneficiaries of the project. We expect the project to result in 1) Increased capacity to inform, support and enable participation of child victims, 2) increased quality of information and continuous support to child victims, 3) improved awareness and knowledge about child victims’ rights among wider public and duty-bearers, 4) improved transnational cooperation and exchange to achieve the Barnahus Quality Standards.  

Background

Worldwide children are being exposed to a number of crimes, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, hate-crime, trafficking and exploitation for different purposes. As much as half of all children globally experience violence each year. In Europe alone, 20 % of all children will fall victim to some form of sexual violence. Abuse can come in many forms: directly towards the child or indirectly, for example, when the child experiences domestic violence towards a caregiver. Research clearly shows that child abuse increases the risk over the life course for poor mental and physical health, substance abuse, poverty, and a shorter life. Considering the detrimental impacts of child abuse, there is a strong need to support children’s recovery. 

This points to the need for all relevant authorities and services to work together with the child at the centre to protect and support the child in their best interests, and to ensure a safe and informed journey through Barnahus.  

The project is linked to the PROMISE Barnahus Network curricula and resource bank, which will ensure continuous development and dissemination of the outputs to the broader network, which currently consists of more than 40 members in over 26 countries. 

Partners

Save the Children Sweden (SCS) – lead partner 
Barnafrid (Linköping University) 
Barnahus Linköping (SE) 
Bonigi 
The PROMISE Barnahus Network via the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Children at Risk
Marie Cederschiöld University 
Terre des hommes Regional Hub in Hungary (Tdh Hungary) 
Tusla/Barnahus Galway (Child and Family Agency, Ireland) 

Funding

PROMISE Journeys is co-funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) program.   

Duration

1 Jan 2023 – 31 Dec 2024 

Contact

Olivia Lind Haldorsson, Senior Adviser and Head of the CBSS Children at Risk Unit
Phone: +46 73 056 45 92
Email: olivia.lind.haldorsson@cbss.org