The Barnahus model in the Nordic countries Elisiv Bakketeig PROMISE – Regional Conference and Study Visit, Linköping, 28-29 November 2016

The Barnahus book The aim of the book: to define and contribute to the evolving field of Barnahus research in the Nordic countries and beyond Editors: Susanna Johansson, Kari Stefansen, Elisiv Bakketeig & Anna Kaldal 24 authors and 16 chapters covering four main themes: Child friendliness, support and treatment The forensic interview The children's rights perspectives Interagency collaboration and professional autonomy.

Barnehusmodels in Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark - an overview 1998 1 BH CASES AND TARGET GROUP COLLABORATION REGULATION COORDINATION Age group Type of abuse Type of cases Involved agencies Barnahus staff Mandatory use Barnahus regulation Central co-ordination Below 15 yrs Sexual abuse and since 2015 also physical violence Police reported Child welfare cases when suspicions of abuse Child welfare services Medical services/health care Police Prosecution Psychologists Social worker Criminologist Not Barnahus explicitly, but to run and use such facilities No specific Barnahus law, but regulative support in the Child Protection Act and the Law on Criminal Procedure The Government Agency for Child protection Sweden 2006 30 BH Below 18 yrs Sexual abuse & physical violence FGM, witnesses of violence; crimes of honour, children who sexually abuse other children Cases with parallel investigations by child welfare services and police and prosecutors Health care Forensic medicine Social workers, psychologists and/or police at some Barnahus No No specific Barnahus law. National guidelines and standards by the National Police Agency Pilot: by the Ministry of Justice and an inter-agency coordination group on national level Currently: no central coordinating agency at a state level National Barnahus network, first coordinated by Save the Children Sweden & since 2016 by Barnafrid Norway 2007 11 BH Below 16 yrs and adults with intellectual impairment Sexual abuse, direct and indirect violence, homicide, and gender mutilation Police reported cases only: aggrieved parties and witnesses Social workers and psychologists Yes, for police and prosecutors By law: Criminal Procedure Act and regulation on facilitated investigative interview The Police Directorate and state level Barnahus committee Denmark 2013 5 BH (+ 3 satellites) Sexual abuse and physical violence Child welfare cases involving police and/or health care Yes, for child welfare services if case involves police and/or health care By law: The Consolidation Act on Social Services and Order on Children Houses Quality standards by the National Board of Social Services The National Board of Social Services Barnehusmodels in Iceland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark - an overview

Differences in target groups Types of abuse: from sexual abuse only to involving all criminal acts against children Upper age-limit: from 15 to 18 The child is the primary target in the Nordic Barnahus models. A question that is raised by one of the authors in the Barnahus book is if Barnahus to a larger degree should offer services also to the child's family

Implementation and regulation Sweden, Norway and Iceland implemented Barnahus without formal regulation first. Denmark introduced national regulations first and then implemented Barnahus simultaneous on a national level Sweden still lack a legally binding national regulation of Barnahus

What is best – to implement Barnahus and than regulate or vice versa? To answer this we need cross-national research We can assume that regulating first: will secure that Barnahus are used may make it easier to achieve a more unified practice But Evaluations has shown that it is important that Barnahus is adapted to local needs – which may call for doing a pilot first and then regulate

Organisation and affiliation Norway: Central coordination by the Police Directorate on behalf of the Ministry of Police and Public security Sweden: No central coordination. Denmark: Central coordination by the National Board of Services. Iceland: Central coordination by the Government Agency for Child Protection. The Norwegian model is more police-oriented - the others are stronger connected to the child welfare system

Differences in affiliation and organisation affect the focal point of collaboration in Barnahus The key role: of the Norwegian model: to facilitate the police investigative interview in a supportive environment of the Swedish model: to coordinate two parallel investigations with different objectives (child welfare and law enforcement). of the Danish model: to assist the municipalities` local child welfare services, which are the responsible and key agency in the Danish model of the Icelandic model: to coordinate the criminal- and the child welfare investigation + a development towards increased coordination and strengthening of the role of the Barnahus staff as coordinators

Looking ahead – can we see som trends? Tendencies of Barnahus branching out in terms of; A wider responsibility (target group, treatment) Increased number of cases, mandatory use, capacity issues New Barnahus, larger Barnahus and satelites Establishment beyond the Nordic context – ref. the PROMISE project

Conclusion The commonalities suggest that there is basis for talking about a Nordic Barnahus model. Tendencies of Barnahus branching out may help to improve services for children as victims of violence and abuse, but may also raise new questions that challenge the models basic idea of offering multiple services in child friendly premises and “under one roof” Barnahus is a new field of research. To understand more of the development of the Barnahus model, national and cross-national research are needed.

Thank you for your attention! Contact information: elisiv.bakketeig@nova.hioa.no Link to website about NOVA’s Domestic violence research programme https://blogg.hioa.no/voldsprogrammet