Meeting room: Sydney

This interactive workshop invites participants to take part in a collaborative review of the final draft of Barnahus Quality Standard 11 on Child Protection. Developed through extensive consultation with practitioners and experts across Europe, this standard sets out principles and expectations for how child protection agencies work in and with Barnahus.

Participants will work in small groups to explore key questions that remain open in the draft—such as the order of application of the standards, the inclusion of siblings, the role of formal vs. statutory coordination, and how to reflect diverse national contexts. Your insights will directly shape the final text of the standard.

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Understand the proposed content and scope of Standard 11 on Child Protection
• Contribute feedback and recommendations to shape the final version
• Share examples from practice to support practical implementation
• Strengthen shared understanding of child protection roles in Barnahus

Moderator: Eimear TIMMONS, The Lighthouse, London

Eimear TIMMONS is a seasoned social work professional with over 30 years’ experience in child protection and children’s services. She is the Practice Development Manager at The Lighthouse in London, the UK’s first Barnahus-style Children’s House for young survivors of sexual abuse. In this role, Eimear draws on her extensive background as a frontline social worker and team manager to ensure a child-centred, trauma-informed approach. She has been pivotal in integrating social care with medical, therapeutic, and police services under one roof, improving experiences and outcomes for child victims. Her expertise encompasses multidisciplinary interagency coordination, court processes, and implementing the Barnahus Quality Standards in practice. Eimear is also active in training and sharing best practices internationally to help other regions establish similar child-friendly, multidisciplinary responses to child abuse.

Meeting room: Atlantic

This session aims to provide participants with tools, examples, and perspectives to ensure that their services can meet the needs of all children, regardless of ability. It will highlight practical and policy-based approaches for making Barnahus more accessible and inclusive for children with disabilities. It will include contributions from projects working directly on access to justice and participation for children with disabilities, as well as national practice examples from Sweden.

Children with disabilities are at higher risk of experiencing violence and abuse, but often face significant barriers in accessing justice and protection services, including Barnahus. These barriers may include communication challenges, lack of accessible environments, assumptions about credibility or capacity, and limited training for professionals.

A contributor from INSIDE EU will share tools and recommendations for any professional on how to promote meaningful participation of children with disabilities and fewer opportunities in justice and recovery settings—tailored to the Barnahus context.

Barnahus Linköping, Sweden will present a trauma screening toolbox developed for use with children in social services, with a focus on how it is applied in practice with children with disabilities. The presentation will give recommendations on how to adapt the approach in your service, alongside information about the effort by THL in Finland to adapt and evaluate this approach.

The Validity Foundation will present results from the Link project, which developed guidance for legal professionals in adapting court procedures and environments to meet the needs of children with disabilities. She will also discuss the importance of adapting the traditional professional frameworks to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.  

By the end of this session, participants will: 

• Be informed about common barriers children with intellectual and/or psychosocial disabilities face in accessing justice 
• Gain practical ideas for adapting procedures, communication, and environments for this target group
• Learn about tools for trauma screening and participation that can be adapted and adopted
• Reflect on how to strengthen your own Barnahus team and practice 

Moderator: Emilie Rivas, Save the Children, Spain 

Speakers:

• Anna ARGANASHVILI, Validity Foundation, Hungary 
• Christian SWEENEY, Inside EU, Ireland
• Helena ASPLUND CARLQVIST,  Barnahus Linköping, Sweden
• Ingrid ARKEHED, Barnahus Linköping, Sweden 

Anna ARGANASHVILI is a litigation officer at Validity Foundation (formerly MDAC), specialising in strategic litigation to advance the rights of persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities. A Georgian lawyer with 15 years of experience in child rights advocacy, her litigation before domestic courts, the European Court of Human Rights, and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has contributed to landmark decisions on violence against children and deinstitutionalisation. At Validity, she works on strategic cases across Europe that challenge systemic barriers preventing children with disabilities from accessing protection and redress. Anna also serves on expert panels at UN Women and the Council of Europe, advises governments on aligning judicial procedures with disability rights standards.

Christian SWEENEY is an Irish social inclusion advocate and trainer. He serves as CEO of Institute for Studies in Social Inclusion, Diversity and Engagement (INSIDE EU), a community-led NGO based in Ireland. At INSIDE, Christian works to empower marginalised groups – including immigrants, minorities, and people with disabilities – through education, employment, and entrepreneurship initiatives. He has a background in human rights, and has delivered training across Europe on topics like diversity, anti-discrimination, and inclusive policymaking. Christian is also involved in research and international projects, and advocates for amplifying the voices of all vulnerable children.

Helena ASPLUND CARLQVIST is a clinical psychologist at Barnahus Linköping and a specialist in psychological treatment and psychotherapy in Sweden. In her role at one of Sweden’s flagship Barnahus, Helena provides crisis support to children and families immediately after abuse disclosures, conducts in-depth trauma assessments, and delivers therapeutic services. She is also a trainer of educating social service staff on trauma and how to respond to child victims. Helena completed a specialist study on children’s and parents’ experiences of the Barnahus process in Linköping, using those findings to improve practice. She has previously worked at Barnafrid (the national knowledge centre for Sweden), where she contributed to national Barnahus training programs and materials.

Ingrid ARKEHED is a clinical psychologist and key team member at Barnahus Linköping in Region Östergötland. Ingrid has been involved in expanding Barnahus services to new target groups – notably children and adolescents displaying harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) – while maintaining a child-centred, trauma-informed focus. Drawing on her expertise in child psychology, she helps develop assessment and intervention models that address both the needs of these youth and the safety of other children. Ingrid often shares practical insights from Sweden’s experience, including at the Barnahus Forum 2025, to inform ethical and effective strategies for integrating all vulnerable children into Barnahus in a safe and supportive way. 

Meeting room: Singapore

This session explores how Barnahus can meaningfully involve children in shaping, evaluating, and improving the support they receive. It will discuss not only how to collect meaningful feedback, but also how to effectively ensure the feedback is given space, audience, and influence —particularly in the context of evaluating Barnahus.

The session begins with insights from Charité Berlin on their translation and validation of the Child Participation Tool to the German context, demonstrating how structured feedback from children can be embedded into quality assurance processes and recognised as credible across systems. The Lighthouse in London will share how they gather and apply feedback from children and young people throughout the criminal justice process, including around the Video Recorded Interview, and how this has led to a new feedback tool co-developed with youth. The University of Bedfordshire will present learning from the North Strathclyde Bairns Hoose evaluation, and introduce plans to embed children’s voices in the development of a European evaluation framework for Barnahus.

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Hear about how other countries have involved children in their Barnahus evaluation work
• Understand the role of validated tools and youth-designed methods for collecting and using feedback
• Reflect on key principles and practical strategies for embedding participation in Barnahus evaluations
• Consider how children’s voices can meaningfully influence service quality and systemic change

Moderator: Sven WILSON, Council of the Baltic Sea States 

Speakers:

• Camille WARRINGTON, University of Bedfordshire, England
• Clementine ANDERSON, The Lighthouse, London, England
• Gina-Melissa SEMRAU, Childhood Haus Berlin, Charité University Hospital 

Sven WILSON Sven Wilson is a policy and research specialist at the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Children at Risk Unit in Stockholm. He focuses on regional cooperation to improve child protection, including supporting the Barnahus projects across Europe. Sven has supported the research and drafting of numerous groundbreaking Barnahus initiatives on child protection, child participation, and online sexual violence. He has led developments in digital innovation in Barnahus services – for example, a new child-friendly app that informs children about the Barnahus process. Sven works with governments and practitioners to strengthen multidisciplinary responses to child abuse. He has contributed to training webinars and tools for Barnahus, emphasising the importance of clear child communication and feedback. With a background in philosophy, research, and international policy, Sven plays a key part in the Barnahus Network’s efforts to ensure every child victim is heard, supported, and informed throughout their journey to justice.

Camille WARRINGTON is a leading UK researcher specialising in children’s rights, child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), and participatory research methods. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Bedfordshire’s Institute of Applied Social Research, where she has pioneered work involving young people in shaping welfare and justice services to respond to abuse. Camille’s expertise centres on amplifying the voices of young survivors – her Ph.D. research examined how sexually exploited youth can be more involved in decisions about their care. She has over 15 years of experience in qualitative and creative research, often partnering with charities to ensure findings translate into practice improvements. Camille was a co-investigator on the landmark “Our Voices” project, promoting child participation in CSE services across Europe. Most recently, Camille has played a leading role in evaluating Scotland’s first Barnahus (‘Bairns’ Hoose), and the early development of three additional ‘Bairns’ Hoose’ Pathfinder sites.  

Clementine ANDERSON is Consultant Social Worker The Lighthouse. A registered social worker with more than a decade’s experience in safeguarding and sexual-violence advocacy, Clementine leads the Lighthouse’s Child & Family Practitioner team (including Social Workers and Independent Sexual Violence Advisors), overseeing referral pathways, risk assessment, and ongoing support for children and families affected by sexual abuse. She has also been involved with co-designing a new evaluation tool that captures children’s views and experiences on their justice journey. Clementine regularly delivers training to police officers, social care staff, and health professionals on trauma-informed practice and child-centred engagement, and she has presented at UK and European forums on embedding meaningful child participation in service evaluation. Her practice blends frontline insight with a strong commitment to ensuring that children’s lived experiences directly shape improvements in Barnahus.

Gina-Melissa SEMRAU is a research assistant at Childhood-Haus Berlin at Charité University Hospital. Since 2022, she has been contributing her expertise in psychology, with a focus on legal psychology, and is currently in advanced training as a child and adolescent psychotherapist. Her particular focus (and topic of her dissertation) is on the participation of children and adolescents and the implementation of joint research projects at German Childhood-Häuser (Barnahus)- including the development of standardised basic documentation. She has been actively involved in international collaborations to adapt Barnahus to emerging challenges – for example, contributing to the EU-funded PROMISE Elpis project which focuses on tailoring Barnahus processes to cases of online sexual violence. Gina shares Germany’s experiences through research and speaking engagements, helping to advance best practices in child protection and inspire the growth of similar services across Europe.

Meeting room: Ballroom

This session aims to support interviewers and multidisciplinary teams to make the most of their work together. Experience across Europe shows that collaboration within Barnahus has led to improved, individualised planning and execution of forensic interviews with children, resulting in better outcomes. Embedding evidence-based interviewing protocols into multidisciplinary teams not only strengthens the quality of evidence, but also enhances the child’s experience of justice.

This session explores how forensic interviewing protocols can be effectively embedded within multidisciplinary child protection teams—particularly in Barnahus—while respecting the rights of the child as a victim of crime. It looks at how inputs from other professionals before, during and after —such as family history, communication assessments, and emotional support— can improve both the interview process and lead to more, higher quality evidence. It examines how trauma-sensitive approaches before, during, and after interviews can improve the child’s capacity to share their experiences, while ensuring their rights are respected under the Victims’ Rights Directive.

Rebecca O’Donnell will provide updates on the progress to revise the Victims’ Rights Directive. Niamh O’Loughlin will share practical experience and approaches from Barnahus West to embed evidence-based interviewing in their multidisciplinary team. Maria Keller-Hamela will reflect on how similar principles have informed practice in Poland. Relevant tools from recent EU-funded projects will be highlighted.

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Reflect on their progress to embed forensic interviews into a robust multidisciplinary practice
• Explore how to convince different professionals about how their inputs improve the quality and child-friendliness of interviews
• Be updated on the evolving legal framework under the Victims’ Rights Directive
• Have information and inspiration upon which to continue to make progress 

Moderator: Rebecca O’DONNELL, Child Circle and Barnahus Network Steering Group member 

Panellists: 

• Niamh O’LOUGHLIN, Barnahus West in Galway, Ireland
• Maria KELLER-HAMELA, Empowering Children Foundation, Poland, and Barnahus Network Steering Group member

Rebecca O’DONNELL is an Irish barrister who has been working in Brussels for over twenty years. She is a Founding Member and the Director of Child Circle, a European NGO that strengthens child protection policy and practice. Rebecca has played a central role as a legal adviser to Promise from its inception in 2014/15, connecting Barnahus standards and practice with EU legal obligations and policy recommendations. With over 20 years’ experience in EU law and advocacy, O’Donnell specialises in areas like child-friendly justice, children in migration, and cross border protection.  She is also currently the senior EU policy adviser to the European Guardianship Network.  She previously served as Senior Child Protection Adviser at Save the Children’s EU Office, and was a partner in an international law firm focusing on EU law. Rebecca has contributed to influential projects on Barnahus. An experienced strategist and author of legal analyses, O’Donnell is dedicated to ensuring that systems of justice and child protection uphold children’s rights and welfare at every step.

Niamh O’LOUGHLIN is a specialist social work practitioner who holds the position of Interim Manager at Barnahus West in Galway, Ireland. Niamh has a master’s in social work from University of Galway, and a Professional Diploma in Court Intermediary Studies from the University of Limerick. Niamh has expertise as a Forensic Interviewer, and has undergone training in various therapeutic interventions for children and their families. Niamh played a key role in Ireland’s Barnahus pilot, bringing extensive frontline experience in child protection practice. At Barnahus West, she leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to supporting child victims and their families through one coordinated process. Niamh’s expertise is nationally recognised, particularly in evidence-based interviewing of children. As an advocate for Barnahus, she frequently provides specialised training and speaks on the benefits of this innovative approach. In her work, Niamh emphasises child-friendly justice, rights-based frameworks, family engagement, and minimising trauma during investigations. Her leadership, collaboration, and practical insights have contributed to the expansion of Barnahus in Ireland, and she continues to advocate for refinements in policy and practice to better protect children.

Maria KELLER-HAMELA is a clinical psychologist and one of Poland’s foremost child protection experts. Since 1996, she has been working at the Empowering Children Foundation – formerly the Nobody’s Children Foundation – where she served for many years as Vice President of the Board. Maria has dedicated her career to preventing child abuse and improving responses for victims. She holds a psychology degree from the University of Warsaw and is certified in family violence prevention. Maria has pioneered child forensic interviewing techniques in Poland and in Eastern Europe, has trained judges, prosecutors, police officers, and therapists nationwide and abroad. Internationally, she has been coordinating for many years projects across Eastern Europe “Childhood without violence – towards the better child protection system” and is active in EU Barnahus initiatives, sharing her expertise to establish child-friendly services. She is the member of the editorial board of the scientific quarterly Child Abuse: Theory, Research, Practice.

Meeting room: Ballroom

This session brings together practitioners and policy experts to explore how child protection operates in and with Barnahus across Europe. It begins with a presentation of new findings from a mapping of child protection roles and tasks in Barnahus, followed by an introduction to a newly developed checklist designed to complement the forthcoming Standard 11 on Child Protection.

Ireland’s Tusla Child and Family Agency will present their work to establish a national standard operating procedure to support coordinated action between Barnahus staff and child protection services. Participants will share how child protection is practiced in their own context, highlighting models, challenges, and success stories that could support implementation of the new standard.

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Learn about the diversity of child protection practices in Barnahus across Europe
• Gain access to new tools, including a practical checklist and protocol guidance
• Share examples from their own work that may inform the finalisation of the forthcoming standard on child protection
• Reflect on strategies to improve coordination between Barnahus and child protection agencies

Moderator: Fiona GERAGHTY – Tusla, Ireland and Barnahus Network Steering Group member

Speakers:

• Linda JONSSON, Marie Cederschiöld University
• Julie O’DONNELL, Tusla, Ireland
• Sven WILSON, Council of the Baltic Sea States

Fiona GERAGHTY is an Irish social work leader serving as the Manager of Barnahus South in Cork under Tusla – Ireland’s Child and Family Agency. In this role, she oversees one of Ireland’s first Barnahus pilot services. Geraghty represents Tusla on the European Barnahus Network Steering Group, contributing her on-the-ground insights to the international Barnahus community. She previously worked as a Principal Social Worker in Cork and has a deep understanding of Ireland’s child protection system. Fiona has been instrumental in adapting Barnahus to the Irish context – establishing interagency protocols, training specialised staff, and ensuring services are child-friendly. Her work is helping to pave the way for a national rollout of Barnahus so that all children in Ireland have access to these one-stop, child-centred services.

Linda JONSSON is a Swedish researcher and clinical expert specialising in child sexual abuse and exploitation. She holds a Ph.D. in child psychiatry and is an Associate Professor of social work, currently lecturing and researching at Marie Cederschiöld University. Jonsson’s career spans roles as head of the sexual abuse unit at Barnafrid (Sweden’s national knowledge center on violence against children) and as the European Barnahus competence centre coordinator for the Barnahus Network at the Council of the Baltic Sea States. Her research focuses on online exploitation, impact of trauma, and improving therapeutic interventions for child victims. Linda has published extensively, and has helped develop a Barnahus Quality Standard on child protection. She is actively involved in international Barnahus initiatives, ensuring that practice is informed by the latest evidence.

Julie O’DONNELL is a social worker who leads Barnahus development at Ireland’s Child and Family Agency (Tusla). Qualified in 2000, she has over two decades of experience in statutory child protection services. Julie has served as social work team leader and principal social worker, and was recently appointed National General Manager for Tusla Barnahus. She holds postgraduate qualifications in public management and leadership. She is also involved in training (e.g. at University of Galway) and has been a key contributor to Ireland’s Barnahus pilot in Galway. Julie’s leadership is driving the rollout of child-friendly, multiagency centres so that Irish children only have to tell their story as few times as necessary, and in a safe environment.

Sven WILSON Sven Wilson is a policy and research specialist at the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) Children at Risk Unit in Stockholm. He focuses on regional cooperation to improve child protection, including supporting the Barnahus projects across Europe. Sven has supported the research and drafting of numerous groundbreaking Barnahus initiatives on child protection, child participation, and online sexual violence. He has led developments in digital innovation in Barnahus services – for example, a new child-friendly app that informs children about the Barnahus process. Sven works with governments and practitioners to strengthen multidisciplinary responses to child abuse. He has contributed to training webinars and tools for Barnahus, emphasising the importance of clear child communication and feedback. With a background in philosophy, research, and international policy, Sven plays a key part in the Barnahus Network’s efforts to ensure every child victim is heard, supported, and informed throughout their journey to justice.

Meeting room: Singapore

The inclusion of children displaying harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) within Barnahus remains a complex and sensitive issue. Yet across Europe, some Barnahus and partner services are beginning to develop practices to assess, support, and include this group within a multidisciplinary, child-centred response.

This panel discussion will explore what it means to welcome and work within the Barnahus context with children who have displayed HSB. Panellists from Denmark, Estonia, Norway, and Scotland will share early experiences from sites that have begun to adapt their services to meet the needs of these children— through assessment and therapeutic support, family intervention, or coordinated case planning.

The session will also consider legal and ethical concerns, including risk management, child protection, and the rights of all involved children.

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Be informed about how some Barnahus have begun to include children displaying harmful sexual behaviour in their target group
• Hear about models of care, assessment, and intervention used in various countries
• Reflect on challenges and opportunities for integrating this group into the Barnahus response
• Consider implications for policy, capacity, and multidisciplinary collaboration

Moderator: Emma HAREWOOD, Bluestar Pre-trial Support, England

Panellists: 

• Kim RISOM RASMUSSEN, Barnahus Zealand, Denmark
• Hele-Riin REBASE, Barnahus, Estonia
• Anne-Lise Farstad, Barnahus Kristiansand, Norway
• Anna O’RIELLY, Children First, Scottland

Emma HAREWOOD is a UK expert in developing Barnahus services and improving support for child victims through the justice system. She was the founding Service Manager of The Lighthouse in London, where she led the setup of the UK’s first Barnahus-style centre in 2018. In that groundbreaking role, Harewood oversaw the multidisciplinary team and operations. Emma now directs Bluestar Pre-Trial Support CIC, a social enterprise advancing best practices in pre-trial therapy across England. She has authored national guidance on pre-trial therapy (the “Bluestar Project” protocols) and developed training resources for practitioners. Harewood frequently consults for police, social services, and Barnahus initiatives on how to maintain children’s well-being and evidence integrity before court. A dynamic advocate and innovator, she is a voice driving systemic change so that children receive consistent, trauma-informed support from disclosure through trial.

Kim RISOM RASMUSSEN Kim Risom Rasmussen is the leader of Børnehus Sjælland (Barnahus Zealand) in Denmark. Based in Næstved, he has overseen this Children’s House since its inception, coordinating a team of police, social workers, doctors, and psychologists to serve child victims across the Zealand region. Kim has been a pioneering voice in Denmark’s Barnahus program, contributing to national guidelines and sharing the Danish approach internationally. He was a key informant in early European Barnahus research and has spoken about incorporating children with harmful sexual behaviour into Barnahus services. Rasmussen also participated in international webinars to discuss how legal frameworks can enable Barnahus operations. With a background in social work management, he emphasises professional, evidence-based methods that ensure each child’s needs are met with care and confidentiality. Under Kim’s leadership, Barnahus Sjælland has provided safety, justice, and healing to hundreds of children annually – and his expertise continues to inform the expansion of Barnahus services in Denmark.

Hele-Riin REBASE is a child protection expert with the Estonian Social Insurance Board (Sotsiaalkindlustusamet). She serves as a Chief Specialist for the Children’s House (Lastemaja) services in Estonia, playing a central role in running and improving Barnahus operations. Her work includes guiding social workers in Barnahus case management, ensuring interagency collaboration, and developing training for professionals in interviewing and trauma support. Rebase has presented internationally on Estonia’s child protection system and Barnahus experience. She has also contributed numerous study visits and international exchanges taking place in Estonia.

Anne-Lise FARSTAD is the Section Leader (Seksjonsleder) of Statens Barnehus Kristiansand in Norway, where she leads a multidisciplinary team. With a background in law, Anne-Lise played a key role in the implementation of Norway’s 2015 law that made Barnahus the mandatory venue for forensic interviews with child victims – a change that significantly strengthened collaboration between police and Barnahus. She has shared Norway’s journey in establishing Barnahus widely, highlighting how legislation and policy can enable a well-functioning service without compromising its child-centred ethos. Under her leadership, Barnehus Kristiansand has been recognised for excellence in balancing investigative needs with trauma-informed care. Anne-Lise continues to advocate nationally and internationally for robust legal frameworks and best practices that ensure every child’s testimony is heard in a safe environment and that they receive coordinated support.

Anna O’REILLY is a Scottish social work leader spearheading the implementation of Barnahus (called Bairns’ Hoose) in Scotland. As Assistant Director at Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, she oversees the design and roll-out of the country’s first Barnahus. Anna has decades of experience in children’s services and trauma recovery. She leads interagency partnerships to adapt Barnahus to Scotland’s legal and welfare context – ensuring police, health, social work and advocacy services work together around the child. O’Reilly is also deeply committed to hearing children’s voices: her team has gathered extensive input from young survivors about what they need after abuse, which has shaped Bairns’ Hoose plans.

Meeting room: Sydney

As Barnahus become more established, national efforts to evaluate these multidisciplinary responses are increasingly important. This session brings together researchers and practitioners who have led or are currently working on evaluations of interagency services for children victims and witness of violence.

Panellists from Finland, Spain, the UK, and the United States will share how their work on evaluations were initiated, funded, and designed. They will explore methodological choices, ethical considerations, engagement with children and professionals, and what their evaluations revealed—about achievements, gaps, and the reality of implementing recommendations.

Participants will gain insight into what it takes to evaluate complex systems like Barnahus, how national contexts shape evaluation goals and outcomes, and what we are learning collectively about impact, accountability, and quality improvement.

By the end of this session, participants will: 

• Learn how national and regional evaluations of Barnahus and similar services are being carried out
• Hear about key findings, including both progress and persistent challenges
• Reflect on the practical and political factors that influence how evaluations are used
• Consider how future evaluations can be more participatory, meaningful, and aligned with quality standards

Moderator: Merit KORBE, Barnahus Estonia  

Panellists:  

• Camille WARRINGTON, University of Bedfordshire, England
• Miia STÅHLBERG, THL Finland, representing a project consortium with partners from Sweden and Germany  
• Núria TORRES-ROSELL, University Rovira i Virgili, Spain 
• Erin CASEY, National Children’s Alliance, USA

Merit KORBE is a Barnahus expert at the Social Insurance Board of Estonia. She has been part of Estonia’s Barnahus journey since 2019, contributing to its expansion and the development of services. Her work has informed legal amendments and securing funding, setting up Barnahus facilities, training multidisciplinary teams, and building trust with actors nationally and internationally. Merit actively engages in international exchange: she has shared Estonia’s experiences through numerous study visits, exchanges and trainings. Merit holds an advanced degree in social sciences and has years of experience in child welfare policy. Her strategic vision and commitment have helped to ensure that Barnahus is “here to stay” in Estonia, providing safe justice and healing to children across the country.

Camille WARRINGTON is a leading UK researcher specialising in children’s rights, child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE), and participatory research methods. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Bedfordshire’s Institute of Applied Social Research, where she has pioneered work involving young people in shaping welfare and justice services to respond to abuse. Camille’s expertise centres on amplifying the voices of young survivors – her Ph.D. research examined how sexually exploited youth can be more involved in decisions about their care. She has over 15 years of experience in qualitative and creative research, often partnering with charities to ensure findings translate into practice improvements. Camille was a co-investigator on the landmark “Our Voices” project, promoting child participation in CSE services across Europe. Most recently, Camille has played a leading role in evaluating Scotland’s first Barnahus (‘Bairns’ Hoose), and early development of three additional ‘Bairns’ Hoose’ Pathfinder sites.  

Miia STÅHLBERG is a senior specialist at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and works in a coordination team for Finland’s Barnahus development. Based in Helsinki, she works on the national Barnahus project. She is further involved in a CBSS seed funding project that is supporting Finland, Germany and Sweden to look at auditing of Barnahus for quality assurance. Miia’s expertise lies in social work and violence prevention; she has authored studies on how child protection social workers assess children’s safety in suspected abuse cases. Miia contributes to training curricula, developing safeguarding responses when there is a suspicion of child abuse, and research on child-centred practices. She has been instrumental in Finland’s Barnahus-project development work, ensuring that it is aligned with the European Barnahus Quality Standards while fitting Finnish legal structures. Miia often presents in Nordic forums about the Finnish experience – highlighting successes such as improved multidisciplinary collaboration, and challenges like reaching children in remote areas. Her work significantly contributes to building an evidence base for Barnahus’ impact on child victims’ well-being and justice outcomes.

Núria TORRES-ROSELL is a Spanish academic with experience in evaluating child-friendly justice initiatives. As a researcher at University Rovira i Virgili, Dr. Torres has examined approaches like Barnahus in the Catalan context. She has contributed to studies on multidisciplinary interventions for abused children, including preliminary findings from pilot projects in Catalonia or Spain’s participation in international Barnahus exchanges. Núria’s perspective will cover the adaptations needed in civil-law systems and how evidence from other countries can inform local practice.

Erin CASEY is an American social scientist who manages national evaluation and data for the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) – the membership organisation for over 900 Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) in the U.S. In her role as Program Evaluation Manager, Dr. Casey oversees the NCA’s Outcome Measurement System (OMS) and other nationwide initiatives that track how CACs (the U.S. equivalent of Barnahus) are performing. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Work and has a background in gender-based violence prevention research. At NCA, Erin ensures that every child’s and caregiver’s feedback is collected after services, and she analyses these data to improve programs. She has co-authored reports and scholarly articles on caregivers’ satisfaction with CAC services, and is helping to build an evidence base showing the efficacy of the CAC approach. Casey also contributes to training CACs on evaluation, and is a part of the NCA Institute for Better Mental Health Outcomes.

Meeting room: Atlantic

This session presents the latest recommendations for forensic child interviewing, published in 2024 by the European Association of Psychology and Law. These evidence-based guidelines offer practical, research-informed recommendations for one of the most sensitive and crucial functions in Barnahus: helping children safely tell about their experiences in a way that is both trauma-informed and legally sound.

Liisa Järvilehto will outline the paper’s findings and explain how they support Barnahus Quality Standard 6, including that they are: conducted by specially trained professionals; based on evidence-based protocols; undertaken in a child-friendly environment; minimally invasive, ideally involving one interview; recorded and admissible in court; coordinated with legal proceedings to avoid repeated questioning. She will also discuss the recommendations regarding: interviewer mindset and hypothesis testing; avoiding non-evidence-based techniques such as body diagrams and dolls; cultural sensitivity and interpreters; online interviewing; and interviewing about repeated events. 

Laura Lediņa and Lauris Neikens from Latvia will share how their country is working to apply the recommendations of the white paper. This work notably includes supporting developments in a national approach to interviewer training and supervision that emphasises practical skills, structured feedback, and interagency collaboration. 

The session will welcome participants to reflect on their own practice, and to ask questions and share experience on the practical implementation of these recommendations on interviews in Barnahus. 

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Be familiar with the latest evidence-based recommendations on forensic child interviewing
• Learn how these principles align with standards and legal frameworks
• Hear from Latvia’s experience of promoting progress based on the whitepaper’s recommendations
• Reflect on and gain examples of how to apply these insights to improve practice in your own settings

Reading material: The whitepaper

Moderator and keynote – Liisa JÄRVILEHTO, Helsinki University Hospital / THL, co-author of the whitepaper, Barnahus Network Steering Group Member

Contributors

• Laura LEDIŅA, Barnahus Latvia
• Lauris NEIKENS, Ministry of Welfare, Latvia 

Liisa JÄRVILEHTO is a clinical and forensic psychologist at the Child and Adolescent Forensic Psychology Unit of Helsinki University Hospital (HUS). She is also an expert with the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and a member of the Barnahus Network Steering Group representing Finland. With over 15 years of experience, Järvilehto has specialised in investigative interviewing of children and the development of child-friendly justice procedures. She co-authored the 2024 European best-practice White Paper on forensic child interviewing, contributing her expertise in evidence-based techniques. Liisa has been instrumental in establishing Finland’s Barnahus approach, training police and social workers in trauma-sensitive methods and advising policymakers on legal reforms. Her current work includes doctoral research at Åbo Akademi University.

Laura LEDIŅA is the Head of the Barnahus (in Latvian, Bērna māja) in Latvia, leading the establishment of the country’s first such service under the Child Protection Centre. A lawyer by education with a background in child rights, Lediņa has long experience advocating for child victims. In 2017, she coordinated Latvia’s Barnahus pilot at the NGO Centers Dardedze – overseeing its multidisciplinary team, developing protocols, and training staff. Laura was a key figure in Latvia’s EEA Norway funded project to implement Barnahus, working closely with experts from Iceland and Norway. Under her leadership, Barnahus Latvia opened in 2023, as a separate department in Child Protection Centre, located in Children’s hospital. Lediņa’s expertise in children’s rights and victim support ensures Latvia’s Barnahus is built on best practices and is truly child-friendly from the ground up.

Lauris NEIKENS is a Senior Expert at Latvia’s Ministry of Welfare, where he coordinates national policy on the protection of children’s rights, and drafts the legal provisions for the implementation of children’s rights into national policy. A lawyer by training, Lauris joined the ministry in 2009 after working for the Latvia’s Ministry for Children and Family Affairs, where he coordinated the implementation of the national children and family policy. From 2021 until 2023 he has participated at the inter‑institutional working group that drafted Latvia’s Barnahus legislation and operating protocols, guiding the service from pilot phase to nationwide rollout. Lauris represents Latvia in the Barnahus Network and the CBSS Children at Risk Expert Group, contributing to cross‑border exchanges on integrated and resilient child protection systems. Lauris speaks occasionally at regional forums on embedding rights‑based practice within child protection and welfare systems.

This session highlights key milestones and special moments from across the Barnahus Network. We’ll welcome new members and new steering group members. We’ll recognise achievements, share updates on recent developments, and build momentum for the year ahead.

Barnahus across Europe continue to take meaningful steps forward in their setup and practice. They are opening new locations, strengthening national frameworks, and expanding services to reach more children. Many are building stronger connections with police and courts, establishing protocols, and embedding Barnahus more firmly into child protection and justice systems. Others have focused on improving the quality of care—through training, new therapeutic models like EMDR and CPC-CBT, or by upgrading their physical spaces to better meet children’s needs.

Progress has also been made in raising awareness, influencing legislation, improving interagency cooperation, and applying evidence to practice. From launching tools to track outcomes, to supporting families more holistically, to welcoming children who were previously underserved, the momentum is clear. Whether just starting out or deepening established services, each story adds to a collective sense of purpose. 

Join us in this plenary to see, hear, and celebrate what your colleagues across the network are achieving—and what it means for the future of Barnahus.

By the end of this session, participants will:

• Hear success stories and practical examples from across the Barnahus Network
• Celebrate peer accomplishments and collective growth
• Be updated on the latest developments within the Network
• Connect their own work to the shared vision and progress of the wider community

Speakers:  

• Olivia LIND HALDORSSON – Head of the Children at Risk Unit at the Council of the Baltic Sea States, Secretary General of the Barnahus Network 
• Shawnna von BLIXEN-FINECKE – Deputy Secretary General, Barnahus Network

Shawnna von BLIXEN-FINECKE is the Deputy Secretary General of the Barnahus Network. She has extensive knowledge of how Barnahus has been adapted in different national contexts, and plays a leading role in coordinating and advising Barnahus initiatives through bilateral support and international exchange. Shawnna played a central role in developing and coordinating training during various PROMISE and other projects, which were foundational in expanding Barnahus across Europe and strengthening their organisation and practice. An experienced project manager with a background in communications, she previously worked for the U.S. State Department and the European Commission, and holds a master’s in political science from Uppsala University. Shawnna’s work ensures that best practices and innovations in Barnahus implementation are shared throughout the network, strengthening services for children.