The European Union - Council of Europe Joint Project “Barnahus in Spain – Strengthening child-friendly justice among Barnahus-type services in Spanish regions (Phase II)” aims to ensure that all children who are victims of violence, including sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, benefit from a child-friendly, multidisciplinary and interagency comprehensive response in Spain and its regions (Autonomous Communities).
During Phase I of the Project (2022-2024), the Spanish Government formally committed to establishing Barnahus services in the country. This Phase contributed to the implementation of the ongoing reform initiated by Organic Law 8/2021 for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents against Violence (known as LOPIVI, a summary in English is available here), its subsequent Strategy, and Organic Law 10/2022 on the Comprehensive Guarantee of Sexual Freedom (known as LOGILS), which laid the legal basis for the Barnahus model in Spain. Following the adoption of the LOPIVI and the Strategy, regional authorities need to align their regional laws and policies on protection of childhood and adolescence with the new legal framework.
The objective of Phase II (November 2024 – April 2027) is to continue implementing the Barnahus model at national level and to provide tailored assistance to the Spanish regions to adapt the legal and policy framework, in line with the findings from Phase I, including the “National and Regional Roadmaps to implement the Barnahus model” and the “Communication Guide”. This Phase also aims to strengthen the collaboration of justice operators and other services for child victims of sexual violence.
Barnahus (Children’s House) is a child-friendly, multidisciplinary and interagency response model for the co-ordination of criminal and child welfare investigations in cases of violence against children, including child sexual abuse.
It brings under one roof all relevant professionals (the judge, the prosecutor, the police, social workers and medical professionals such as psychologists and forensic doctors) in a safe environment for children, with the purpose of providing a co-ordinated and effective response and for preventing re-traumatisation and secondary victimisation during investigation and court proceedings. The Barnahus model puts the best interests of the child at the heart of investigative procedures, while taking into account that the child’s disclosure is key to identify and investigate violence against children both for criminal and for protective and therapeutic purposes.
Originally developed by the National Children’s Advocacy Centre in the United States, the model was introduced and adapted to the European context by Iceland in 1998. The model was recognised in 2015 as a promising practice by the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Committee). It has been already replicated in many European countries. Apart from this project in Spain, the Council of Europe Children’s Rights Division has supported Slovenia and Finland in implementing the Barnahus model, and is currently implementing projects in Croatia and Ireland.
During Phase I, the child-friendly storybook "Let's go to the Barnahus/Anem a la Barnahus" was translated into Spanish and adapted to explain “Barnahus” to children from 12 to 14 years old.
What do we want to achieve?
Implementing the National and Regional Roadmaps
update the analysis of the existing legal and policy framework at national and regional level for the protection of child victims of sexual violence (the mapping study). The report will review the actions and policies developed in all Spanish territories since July 2022 and provide an overview of the existing situation, together with updated recommendations. It will also include updated regional factsheets.
support the design and implementation of an evaluation and monitoring system for operating Barnahus units in Spain.
conduct a gap analysis of the reporting systems on violence against children, including sexual violence, assessing the existing legislation, policies and practices.
Strengthening capacities of relevant professionals
develop tools and training programmes for different professional groups working for and with child victims of sexual violence, based on the findings of the training gap analysis (developed under Phase I). Both basic and specific training materials will be developed focusing on the Barnahus model, reporting systems, exploratory and forensic interview, medical evaluation, forensic medicine, evidence-based psychological intervention, children in situations of vulnerability, interagency co-ordination, etc. Targeted and/or multidisciplinary trainings will be carried out for professionals working for and with children, including police, child protection services, judiciary and other legal professionals, educators, and health professionals. Phase II does not target pilot regions and provides assistance to the Spanish regions on a case-by-case basis.
continue fostering inter-regional working meetings, a key forum where regional authorities share lessons learnt on the Barnahus model and discuss the draft deliverables in the spirit of co-governance, with the aim of encouraging the implementation of the model nationwide. International study visits are additionally foreseen.
support the implementation of the Communication Guide, through the development of additional awareness raising materials and campaigns. The focus will be on communicating among various institutions and stakeholders, including children and their families, media and journalists. An implementation report of the Communication Strategy will be drafted.
develop child-friendly, age-appropriate materials as part of the Communication Strategy. Building on the successful practice of Phase I, where children’s views were included in the strategic documents, Phase II will continue fostering children's participation through the State Council for Child and Adolescent Participation (CEPIA).
The participation of representatives of the relevant bodies and institutions is foreseen. Civil society organisations, Ombudspersons and academia will also be involved in Protect activities to identify existing shortcomings of the justice system for children victims of violence in Spain in light of existing needs to formulate concrete potential solutions.
Representatives of regions (Comunidades Autónomas and Ciudades Autónomas)
Who will benefit from the Project?
The project targets Spanish national, regional and local authorities, as well as professionals working for and with children and/or dealing with cases of sexual violence against children. They will benefit directly from the project through training and capacity building measures.
The final beneficiaries of the project are children at risk of, or victims and/or witnesses of any type of sexual violence, including sexual exploitation and abuse. Children will eventually benefit from a child-friendly, multidisciplinary and interagency comprehensive response inspired by the Barnahus model in Spain and its regions.
The Spanish society will ultimately benefit from the Project with the wider public reached through awareness raising and promotional activities.
What is the project ?
Project news
What is Barnahus?
What do we want to achieve?
What are the project's main deliverables?
Who do we work with?
Who will benefit from the Project?
Calls for Tenders
Video on the Icelandic Barnahus model
Useful links
