About PROMISE and the European Barnahus Movement
PROMISE supports the establishment of Barnahus and child-friendly institutions, notably by sharing good practices and high-quality standards for a European approach. The Barnahus model refers to multi-disciplinary and interagency interventions organized in a child-friendly setting. This work aims at a Europe where the human rights of children to protection from violence, support and to be heard are fulfilled. To this end, child victims and witnesses of violence in Europe are protected by child-friendly interventions and rapid access to justice and care.
The European Barnahus Movement was launched in June 2017. The launch confirmed Barnahus as a good practice, validated the Barnahus model as a widely accepted concept and consolidated the European network of Barnahus staff and interested government officials and practitioners.
PROMISE 2 (2017-2019) is promoting progress at national level in several European countries, and builds on learning from the first PROMISE project (2015-2017), which supported government officials and practitioners from more than 11 countries to establish Barnahus or similar institutions.
read moreNews and updates
The European Barnahus Movement – showcasing 4 years of network and partner progress
31 October 2019 14:00Register here PROMISE 1 and 2 have provided concrete evidence of how consolidated efforts on the national and European levels can accelerate progress in building capacity, ambition and commitment to specialised interventions for child victims and...
read moreConsiderations for evidence recording at the Barnahus
12 September 2019 14:00 Register here There 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...
read moreThe PROMISE Child Participation Tool
7 November 2019Register hereChildren and young people have a right to express their opinions on things that concern them.To facilitate Barnahus and similar setups to hear about how children experience their service, PROMISE has developed a Child Participation Tool....
read moreAt the Crossroads: designing and implementing child-centred criminal proceedings for child victims of violence, taking account of related child protection proceedings
Watch nowPresentation This webinar will explore how to ensure child-centred procedures are in place in criminal proceedings and how to avoid the risk of conflict with child protection proceedings. Join us to learn about the legal and practical issues involved in...
read moreTherapeutic services at the Barnahus – a 2-part webinar
In this 2-part webinar, we will take a deeper look into the concrete value of embedding therapeutic services at the Barnahus, how to meet the standard, and the impact for children and their caregivers.
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PROMISE 3 and Network – open call for partners and founding members
Since 2015, a project partnership called PROMISE has accelerated the progress made across Europe in providing multidisciplinary services to child victims of violence. Looking to the future, a European approach will be essential for the continuity of capacity-building, advocacy, and provision of Barnahus and similar services at the national level.
Today we are announcing an open call to join PROMISE 3 as a partner, which will gain you early access to PROMISE Network benefits.
Forensic interview webinar mini-series
By popular demand, our next webinars will focus on the forensic interview at the Barnahus: why it is important, how it is conducted, and how to adapt to the special needs of the child. Part 1: The importance of a forensic interview for child victims and witnesses...
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Gordana Flander, Director of the Child and Youth Center in Zagreb, recipient of the Children’s Rights Promotion Lifetime Achievement Award
We are so happy to share that our amazing colleague Prof.dr.sc Gordana Flander, Director of the Child and Youth Center in Zagreb, has been awarded the Children's Rights Promotion Lifetime Achievement Award in Croatia. "For me, this award is a stimulus and a sign that...
read moreLithuanian MD/IA centre provides temporary accommodation, trains 1000+ specialists in identifying sexual abuse among children
The Support Centre for Sexually Abused Children is the only service in the Lithuania which provides specialized, complex services for sexually abused children and their family members. The Centre is unique among the European Barnahus and similar setups, in that it has...
read moreHungarian Barnahus Act came into force 1 Jan 2019
On 1st January 2019, the Barnahus Act came into force in Hungary. It establishes public funding for the operation of the Barnahus – as well as official and police and judicial requests. The bill was endorsed by the annual social occupational conference in October...
read moreLatvia to resume Barnahus pilot in 2019 with a focus on pre-investigation interviews – preserving evidence and protecting children from re/traumatisation
The Barnahus model was piloted in Riga, Latvia at Center Dardedze for six months during 2017 on the basis of the Barnahus Quality Standards. This pilot had a focus on the criminal investigation phase. The evaluation of the pilot highlighted that a number of things...
read morePoland closes 2018 with 4 Barnahus in operation, with the work supported by regular network meetings and upcoming interagency monitoring meetings
The Polish Barnahus form a network coordinated by the Empowering Children Foundation. Two Barnahus are operated by the Empowering Children Foundation (Warsaw and Starogard, Gdanski) and two others are opreated by local NGO’s. Each Barnahus is supported by the Velux...
read moreLegal framework around hearing the child in court under review in Romania
Following the October 2018 national roundtable, Save the Children Romania started to meet monthly with the Bucharest Tribunal. Together they are actively working on revising the legal framework around hearing the child in court, in line with the Barnahus Quality...
read more“Barnahus is here to stay” in Estonia
Estonian efforts to spread awareness about the value and importance of the Barnahus is paying off, as key officials express their commitment: At the opening of the Tallinn Barnahus in February 2018, the Head of Social Insurance Board Egon Veermäe stated that...
read moreImprovements to the National Coordination Mechanism are under consideration in Bulgaria
Work is underway to improve the Bulgarian National Coordination Mechanism for cases of child victims or at risk of violence and crises intervention. A working group, including PROMISE partner SAPI, has examined the gaps and put forth suggestions. Such changes include...
read moreBarnahus Linköping trains Cyprus on therapy models for cases of child abuse
On 5-6 December 2018, Hope for Children organised a training featuring Helena Asplund Carlqvist, Psychologist and Anna Nelson, Psychotherapist and Coordinator of Barnahus Linköping, Sweden. The main content of the training was on therapy models that are helpful for...
read moreRoundtable in West Hungary engaged police officers, prosecutors and judges about interviews at the Barnahus
On 15-16 November 2018 a roundtable for police officers, prosecutors and judges from 3 counties was held in the Western region of Hungary. Maria Gorosh, Swedish police, and Alda Hronn Johansdottir, a prosecutor from Iceland, held a one-hour lecture on simultaneous...
read moreBudapest region examines the Swedish example of police interviews at the Barnahus
On November 14 the second roundtable in the Budapest region in Hungary took place in two sessions. In the Hungarian system currently, only police officers can hear a child, so it is most likely that in the Hungarian Barnahus they will continue to do so. So in the...
read moreLatvian police and psychologists receive training from Icelandic experts on forensic interviews of children at the Barnahus
On 7-9 November 2018, Margrét Kristín Magnúsdóttir and Paola Cardenas from Barnahus Iceland trained Latvian participants on forensic interviews of children in cases of sexual abuse. The training started with 20 participants, including investigators from the State...
read moreLatvian roundtables develop reccomnedations and examine the Icelandic experience with exploratory interviews at the Barnahus
On 3 October 2018 social services practitioners met to discuss the possible structure of recommendations for a procedure for cases when criminal proceedings are not initiated. Key experts will draft the recommendations, which are developed as part of PROMISE 2 and...
read moreIreland announces a “One House” centre will open in 2019
“I am delighted to say that the pilot centre for a new interagency service to work with children who have been sexually abused, and their families, will open in early 2019 in Galway. This new approach is aimed at ensuring children are not retraumatised by having to...
read moreProfessionals in Cyprus meet for training on a multidisciplinary approach medical evaluation for sexually abused children
On 25-26 October 2018, Hope for Children organised a training on a multidisciplinary approach medical evaluation for sexually abused children, with a focus on the forensic and paediatric medical examination. The aim of the training was to analyse and shape the optimal...
read moreMini-series on medical evaluation – a key criteria for the Barnahus and similar setups
One criteria of the Barnahus is that a medical evaluation is carried out to ensure a victim’s right to health and to secure forensic evidence for investigative purposes. As part of its medical services, a Barnahus or similar setup should also provide treatment and referrals to specialists as integral parts of its service. This 3-part webinar mini-series explores the many considerations for meeting the medical evaluation criteria for Barnahus.
read moreFacility Dogs 101: when furry friends help children to tell their stories
Children are naturally drawn to animals, and child-friendly services which use facility dogs report that the comfort they provide often leads to better results for children. From bonding in the lobby to accompanying the child throughout the facility, children are less stressed and have a non-human to tell their story. The evidence gathered is of a high quality, the child has a positive memory from the visit, and the dog is happy to be a companion in exchange for long walks and plenty of treats at nighttime.
read moreUK and Estonian experts deliver joint training on medical evaluation of child victims of violence
A 2-day medical evaluation training was held in Tallinn, Estonia on 8-9 October 2018. The topics covered by the training included: treatment at the general practitioner's office, evaluating health and injuries, why the medical evaluation is necessary - notably for...
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Barnahus as the standard practice
The PROMISE partners and experts formally launched this journey 3 years ago. In 2015, only about 6 countries in Europe had Barnahus or similar setup. We now anticipate that 20 countries in Europe will have Barnahus or similar setups by the end of 2019, with at least 6 more actively working towards launching multi-disciplinary interagency services for child victims and witness of violence.
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Introducing the new Barnahus around Europe
The PROMISE partnership extends its warmest congratulations to the recent and upcoming openings of new Barnahus and similar setups:
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Webinar recordings available
Missed a webinar? We record each webinar so you can watch them whenever you’d like.
read moreRomanian national roundtable focuses on the legal aspects surrounding child abuse cases
On 8 October 2018, a roundtable was organised in Romania where national and international experts presented best practices in the field of child protection with a focus on legal aspects surrounding child abuse cases. 60 professionals from the fields of child...
read moreLaw as one enabling factor for the Barnahus
There is a range of ways to use legislation to enable the setup and success of the Barnahus. From full legislation to no legislation, having the perfect law in place is incredibly useful, yet not an absolute condition for establishing a well-functioning cooperation. With a focus on the benefits of legislation, join this webinar to hear about best practices learned from the application of law that can be applied universally, and also to discuss crucial factors for achieving a well-functioning Barnahus. This webinar is aimed at all professionals working to establish and improve Barnahus or similar setups which are providing a multidisciplinary and interagency response to child victims and witnesses of violence.
read moreLaw as one enabling factor for the Barnahus
There is a range of ways to use legislation to enable the setup and success of the Barnahus. From full legislation to no legislation, having the perfect law in place is incredibly useful, yet not an absolute condition for establishing a well-functioning cooperation. With a focus on the benefits of legislation, join this webinar to hear about best practices learned from the application of law that can be applied universally, and also to discuss crucial factors for achieving a well-functioning Barnahus. This webinar is aimed at all professionals working to establish and improve Barnahus or similar setups which are providing a multidisciplinary and interagency response to child victims and witnesses of violence.
read moreJudicial workshop in Cyprus enhances national efforts to implement child-friendly practices
On 13 September 2018, a workshop was organised on the topic of judicial procedures for child-friendly justice. 36 participants attended the workshop representing the Children’s House, Cyprus Police, Social Welfare Services, General Attorney, Supreme Court and “Hope...
read moreUK’s first Child Houses for young victims of sexual abuse have launched
The Lighthouse is a service for children who have experienced any form of sexual abuse, including exploitation. At The Lighthouse we put the child at the centre, to make sure they have a safe place to recover at their own pace and rebuild their lives. Medical,...
read morePutting the child at the centre: ensuring an inclusive and child-friendly setup
This 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 of violence. Watch the webinar to hear about: the method and outcome of a consultation with children on their opinion of a service’s setup, ways to continually receive and integrate feedback from children, caregivers and professionals, the practicalities of planning, decorating and equipping a service.
read moreRoundtable in Cyprus raises awareness and advocates for a common approach
On 4 July 2018, the Hope for Children CRC Policy Centre organised a national roundtable discussion for professionals working with children involved in sexual abuse and exploitation. The aim was to raise awareness about the Children’s House in Cyprus and to develop a...
read moreRoundtable in Germany explores interdisciplinary approaches to suspicion, assistance and criminal case handling in cases of sexual abuse
On 26 June 2018, a roundtable was organized on child-friendly and interdisciplinary approaches to suspicion, assistance and criminal case handling in cases of sexual abuse. PROMISE Experts Britta Bäumer from Barnahus Stockholm and Helena Asplund from Barnahus...
read moreBarnahus Quality Standards training in Finland examines the location and creation of child-friendly spaces
A training on the Barnahus Quality Standards was organised in Helsinki, Finland on 21 June 2018. The Barnahus Quality Standards and the Tracking Tool were presented and discussed, with a focus on creating a child-friendly space and the location of it. The discussions...
read moreWorking together in the best interests of the child: discussions on the formal agreements and the daily work of multidisciplinary interagency cooperation
This webinar took a deeper look at the Barnahus Quality Standards 2 & 5: Multidisciplinary and interagency collaboration, and Interagency case management. A panel of experts interactively discussed key questions. This is a type of discussion only the PROMISE experts and partners have had direct access to – until now.
read moreRoundtables in Latvia develop questionnaire on procedures in cases where criminal proceedings are not initiated
On 19 March 2018 policy makers and practitioners met in Latvia for a roundtable discussion on experiences and challenges in protecting with children who are victims of sexual abuse, as well as to discuss PROMISE 2 and its activities. Representatives from Social...
read moreBudapest region discusses Barnahus integration with Hungarian justice system
On 6 June 2018, Hungarian professionals met to discuss how the application of the Barnahus model in Hungary can be integrated with the justice system. PROMISE experts Margret Rögnvalsdottir, an Icelandic prosecutor, Hjörtur Adalsteinsson, an Icelandic judge, were on...
read moreAdapting the Barnahus concept to local realities
This webinar compares how Barnahus Linköping, Sweden and the Child and Youth Protection Center of Zagreb, Croatia work to achieve the Barnahus Quality Standards in their local contexts. Participants are encouraged to complement the presentation with information on the special ways they work. The result showcases existing innovations and inspire upcoming services to find the right solutions for their local contexts.
read moreBulgaria conference explores the integration of services and the promotion of the Barnahus Quality Standards
On 22 May 2018 a meeting on Multi-disciplinary and Interagency approach for work with children victims of violence – opportunities and challenges was organised in Sofia, Bulgaria. PROMISE experts Ólöf Ásta Farestveit and Þorbjörg Sveinsdóttir from Barnahus Iceland...
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20 years of Barnahus – Featuring Bragi Gudbrandsson
Bragi Guðbrandsson, head of the Icelandic Government Agency for Child Protection, is the initiator and purveyor of the Barnahus model. If you’re not sure what a Barnahus is, why your country needs one, or if the model will work in your country, then look no further. In this webinar, Mr. Guðbrandsson will reflect on the why, the how, and the “what’s next?” of the establishment of the Icelandic Barnahus 20 years ago and its expansion throughout Europe and beyond – a process in which he himself has played an instrumental role.
read moreWest Hungary workshop discusses national legislation related to Barnahus
On 10 May 2018 a workshop for more than 35 prosecutors from different counties in Hungary was organised regarding legislation related to Barnahus. PROMISE expert Margrét Unnur Rögnvaldsdóttir, a prosecutor from Iceland, was on hand to share the Icelandic experience....
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From 0 to Barnahus – Announcing the PROMISE Webinar Series
The PROMISE Webinar Series extends an open invitation to join the discussions and exchanges within the European Barnahus Movement.
read moreWarsaw roundtable discusses opportunities and challenges for multidisciplinary interagency cooperation
130 participants took part in a roundtable in Warsaw, Poland on 26 April 2018. The event discussed opportunities and challenges for multidisciplinary interagency cooperation. After the seminar, the participant took a guided tour of the newly opened Barnahus Warsaw....
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Introducing the new PROMISE logo and relaunched publications
The refreshed identity embodies the essential characteristics of the Barnahus model: friendly and strong, dynamic and inclusive. The M in PROMISE becomes a symbol for the project and the movement. It becomes a B to symbolise the Barnahus. The symbol transforms...
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Welcome to PROMISE 2
The PROMISE 2 partnership is proud to announce the work to promote progress in establishing and operating Barnahus, or similar models, at national level in several European countries has begun. We met in Stockholm in January to plan the core tasks: gaining commitment...
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Barnahus and PROMISE promoted at ISPCAN conference
Pictured: Bragi Guðbrandsson and Chris Newlin. Bragi Guðbrandsson had a keynote speech and several PROMISE partner representatives presented the different aspects of the Barnahus model. As a result, many countries showed interest and the city of the Hague, the...
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PROMISE – the Webinar
On 29 September 2017 the PROMISE project held a webinar which highlighted advocacy tools for promoting the Barnahus model and briefly introduced the outreach and national level technical support planned for the PROMISE II project. A recording of the webinar may be...
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European Barnahus Movement launches in Brussels
The final conference of the PROMISE 1 project took place on 14 June 2017 at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels, Belgium. More than 90 participants from 30 countries meet in Brussels on for the conference Launching the European Barnahus Movement. The conference...
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PROMISE Exchange 3 in Haarlem, Netherlands
The PROMISE pilot countries, partners and experts met in Haarlem, the Netherlands on 13-14 March 2017. This was the final meeting in the PROMISE exchange series. With a focus on linking policy and practice, they went on a study visit to the Multi-Disciplinary Center...
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Linköping inspires a European movement to establish Barnahus
Linköping inspires a European movement to establish Barnahus On 28-29 November 2016, professionals from around Europe met in Linköping to gather inspiration to launch an innovative way to support child victims of violence in their own countries. The innovation is...
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Pilot countries soak up expert knowledge in Iceland
“We need to take the leadership role; we need to rise to the challenge and work with what we have! There is no time to lose…” In the second exchange meeting of the PROMISE project in Reykjavik representatives from the pilot countries informed about achievements and...
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PROMISE Exchange series launches in Croatia
3-4 February | Zagreb Child Protection Centre, Croatia 32 representatives from partner organisations, experts and pilot countries met at the first exchange meeting in the PROMISE project to define the elements of the multi-disciplinary and interagency cooperation to...
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About PROMISE
Putting the child's story at the centre. PROMISE aims at promoting child-friendly multi-disciplinary and interagency services supporting child victims of violence, providing them with access to justice, avoiding re-victimization and ensuring high professional...
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The PROMISE Project launches, promoting child-friendly multi-disciplinary and interagency services
On 20-21 October, the CBSS Secretariat hosted the PROMISE project kick-off meeting. PROMISE aims at promoting child-friendly multi-disciplinary and interagency services supporting child victims of violence, providing them with access to justice, avoiding...
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Newsletter Archive
This is the archive of all the newsletters sent during PROMISE 1 and 2.
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