History & Milestones
From the Beginning
Established more than 25 years ago in Iceland, Barnahus—meaning “a house for children”—set a new standard in how states meet child victims and witnesses of violence.
Interest in Barnahus grew steadily across Europe, championed by organisations such as Save the Children—most notably in the 2002 report “Child Abuse, Adult Justice.”
By 2014 the time was right to seek EU support to promote Barnahus on a larger scale. There was significant interest in Barnahus throughout Europe. However, there was a need to get all the relevant stakeholders together to learn from each other. There also was a need to establish guidelines for what it means to work in the Barnahus way so that states could adapt the model to their context without compromising on key aspects of the approach.
The PROMISE Projects (2015 – Present)
In 2015, the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) and Child Circle secured EU funding for the first PROMISE project. This two-year initiative convened authorities and professionals to learn from one another, develop the Barnahus Quality Standards, and lay the groundwork for child-friendly justice. It was at the first meeting of this project in Zagreb in 2016 that we learned just how enthusiastic and generous the field of Barnahus stakeholders were, and how much interest there was to continue the work.
The second PROMISE project (2017–2019) built on this foundation, supporting national-level progress through targeted dialogue, training, and the creation of official protocols and agreements.
A third phase (2020–2022) introduced new streams of activity, including accredited training, specialised case management tools, and a focus on child participation. It also established the European Competence Centre for Barnahus and prepared the way for a future accreditation system. Through each of these projects, a vibrant network of passionate colleagues took shape—sharing know-how, adapting practices, and advocating for a robust Barnahus model across Europe.
Projects since 2022 have focused on addressing specific gaps in service provision, or in supporting individual countries to make progress on Barnahus.
Launching the Network – Hosted by the Council of the Baltic Sea States (2019–2024)
The European Barnahus collaboration quickly evolved beyond project-based work.
In spring 2017 it was labeled “the Barnahus Movement.”
In November 2019, 13 countries signed statutes in Helsinki to formally establish the PROMISE Barnahus Network.
The Network at that time was hosted by the CBSS, which provided staffing and office space in-kind.
The CBSS is an intergovernmental organisation of ten Baltic Sea States plus the EU. Through its Expert Group on Children at Risk, the CBSS was an early promoter of Barnahus. It facilitated dialogue, shared good practice, and supported local and national processes to protect children’s rights. This made the CBSS a natural host for the Barnahus Network in its early years, during which the Network established its operational routines, expanded its membership, and sustained its platform for exchange and tool development.
Barnahus Network Members who signed the 2019 statutes:
| Mr Bragi Guðbrandsson, Member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child | Honorary founding member |
| Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat | Host of the Network |
| Child Circle | Belgium |
| SAPI | Bulgaria |
| “Hope For Children” CRC Policy Center | Cyprus |
| THL | Finland |
| Barnahus Iceland | Iceland |
| TUSLA | Ireland |
| The Havens | London UK |
| Empowering Children Foundation | Poland |
| Ministry of Justice | Slovenia |
| Stiftelsen Allmänna Barnahuset | Sweden |
| Barnahus Linköping | Sweden |
| Child and Youth Protection Centre | Zagreb Croatia |
Becoming an Independent Non-Profit (2024 – Present)
To realise the full potential of a sustainable European platform, the Barnahus Network began operating as an independent non-profit organisation in 2024. This change allows the Network to diversify its funding, pursue projects and partnerships more flexibly, and maintain a dedicated legal identity.
Remaining true to its mission, the newly independent Barnahus Network continues to promote child-friendly justice, accessible training, and the Barnahus Quality Standards—ensuring that each new Barnahus reflects the best of what has been learned so far.
The Barnahus Network was established in 2019 as “the PROMISE Barnahus Network”.
In 2024, the Network became an independent non-profit organisation with a public purpose, and also changed its name.