Keeping up the energy levels in the network through exciting training, exchange and peer support has been at the core of our activities in 2021. We have had the privilege of engaging with more than 100 professionals throughout the year to support progress towards building excellence in practice in Barnahus, with a focus on the Barnahus model and the four rooms, multidisciplinary teams, forensic interviews, and several therapeutic interventions.

During 2021, the Network played a key consultative role for a number of countries on their journeys to establishing or expanding their Barnahus. This included:

• developing a legal analysis for Ukraine,
• supporting national dialogue building events in Albania, Lithuania, and the Netherlands,
• inviting colleagues from Albania, Croatia, Czechia and Iceland to take extra seats at trainings,
• guiding Portugal through a feasibility study,
• delivering a forensic interview training with avatar practice at low-cost to members,
• delivering a specially designed training in Czechia,
• many 1:1 exchanges.

In addition to these targeted activities, the Network engaged with international actors to spread a common understanding of the model and to unlock opportunities for collaboration and funding. Some outcomes of this work included:

• A new course, developed in private-public partnership with Indico systems, about recording of child interviews
• A series of 10 case studies about the success factors of Barnahus for the WHO
• A framework partnership agreement between the CBSS and the Norwegian Police Directorate in the context of using EEA Norway grants to drive the expansion of Barnahus
• The establishment of an informal group of international actors who promote Barnahus, with an aim to exchanging information and finding a common approach to this work.

We are thrilled to have welcomed 7 new members to the Network during 2021. The PROMISE Barnahus Network now 37 total members who represent 24 countries.

The Network’s competence centre as an authoritative resource

The Network’s website expanded this year to include a new section presenting the competence centre. The new Courses and Support section communicates the Network’s competence centre for Barnahus along two dimensions:

• The steps to establish a Barnahus or similar setup, starting with step 1 getting to yes, all the way until step 5 achieving excellence in practice.
• The ‘four rooms’ concept, including resources for achieving the Barnahus Quality Standards in each of the professional specialisations that sit within a Barnahus.

Highlights of the courses and support offered include internationally recognised training in forensic interviewing, and university-level training in therapy, as well as opportunities for targeted support and training according to specific needs.

A campaign organised during spring 2021 drew special attention to the competence centre and its many resources. It also raised awareness and understanding of several key concepts, such as the role of multidisciplinary services organised under one roof.

Telling the Barnahus story visually

One asset of the Barnahus concept – something that contributes to its broad support and hastening expansion – is how it’s an intuitive story to tell and to understand. Now, this story is even easier to tell with a new set of visuals which have been developed by the Network. Using the PROMISE colours, these visuals walk you through the child’s journey, both without Barnahus, and with it. The result clearly illustrates what Barnahus is and it’s benefits for children and professionals. Previous presentations relying on clip art from the internet and low-quality images now look polished and coherent.

Members are welcome to email network@barnahus.eu to request a template PowerPoint for your use.