European Barnahus Quality Standards

1. European Barnahus Quality Standards Olivia Lind Haldorsson olivia@childcircle.eu

2. EMBODY EUROPEAN AND INTERNATIONAL LAW AND GUIDANCE • PROMOTE THE BARNAHUS MODEL • INSPIRED BY PREVIOUS WORK, INCLUDING CAC STANDARDS AND CRITERIA FOR BARNAHUS IN SWEDEN • DEVELOPED IN COLLABORATION WITH KEY EXPERTS • WHAT REALLY WORKS FOR PROFESSIONALS • WHAT REALLY HAS ADDED VALUE AND A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR CHILDREN • TRANSFERABLE AND ADAPTABLE TO DIFFERENT CONTEXTS • ILLUSTRATED BY NOTEWORTHY PRACTICE • CONTINUOUS EVALUATION AND PERFORMANCE REVIEW Background

3. To fulfil the rights of child victims and witnesses of violence to protection, assistance and child sensitive justice • To secure valid testimonies for Court while preventing retraumatisation • To meet the complex needs of each individual child • Ensuring best interests of the child is a primary consideration • Ensuring the right of the child to be heard without repetitive and intimidating interviews and hearings • Ensuring that children are heard and receive support and assistance by specialist and competent professionals without undue delay • Ensuring a comprehensive, accessible multidisciplinary and interagency response for each child in one child-friendly premise that meets the complex needs of the child Purpose

4. Overview

5. http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/child-friendly-justice-childrens-viewhttp://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2017/child-friendly-justice-childrens-view Children’s views

6. ”The decision made was not good, because it has just made things worse than what it would be. Like, being called names for no reason, I can’t go out... It’s not been in my best interests at all” 16 year old girl, victim, sexual abuse

7. The best interests of the child are a primary consideration in all actions and decisions concerning the child and the non-offending family/caregivers/support persons. Examples of indicators: • A framework/routine/process for engaging the multidisciplinary and interagency team in assessing and determining the best interests of the individual child is in place and is systematically implemented; • The best interests determination is carried out by qualified professional(s) without undue delay. It is based on established facts and informed by the child and non-offending caregiver(s); • Staff are clear about their respective roles and responsibilities in assessing and determining the best interests of the individual child; Standard 1.1 Best interests of the child

8. ”It’s just good to be heard and that’s its going to make a difference” 16 year old girl, victim, sexual abuse ”The last time I saw the judge I saw that she wasn’t interested in me ... The first time it was the same. I would have liked them to have spoken to me.” 12 year old boy, victim, neglect

9. Children’s rights to express their views is respected and fulfilled Examples of indicators: • Staff receive training on how to communicate, listen and share information with children, adpated to their age and development; • Forensic interviews are carried out in a manner that helps the child to exercise the right to be heard in judicial proceedings • Children and their non-offending parents/caregivers can influence the timing, location and set up of interventions such as treatment and therapy Standard 1.2Right to be heard

10. ”I hardly got (any) information about it, because my foster parents hold everything back” 15 year old girl, victim, sexual abuse ”I really liked to know through my own channels, and not only through those of my parents. It was good that it came from both” 15 year old girl, victim, sexual abuse

11. Examples of indicators: • Information is routinely and systematically made available to children and their caregivers, adapted to the age and development of the child; • Children and caregivers receive information in a language they understand; • Special efforts are made to ensure that children with special needs or disabilities have the same opportunities to receive information and to be heard. Children’s right to receive information is respected and fulfilled Standard 1.2Right to information

12. ”I just wanted everything to be over. But it was taking ages and we kept getting more visits saying it was going to be even longer ... I wanted it to be over for me to get my normal life back again. But then it was months and months before that actually happened.” 12 year old girl, victim, sexual abuse ”I felt like giving up because they had been messing me about for so long” 14 year old girl, victim sexual abuse

13. Measures are taken to avoid undue delay, ensuring that forensic interview, child protection assessments and mental health and medical examinations take place within a stipulated time period and that children benefit from timely interventions Examples of indicators: • Joint consultations to prepare for the forensic interview take place as early as possible to avoid delay of the interview; • The prosecutor who leads the preliminary investigation observes the forensic interview in an adjacent room so that there is no delay in accessing relevant information; • Social worker(s) observe the forensic interview in an adjacent room so that action to meet needs and protect the child can be taken without delay; • A joint follow up meeting takes place directly after the forensic interview to ensure that everyone is clear about next steps, roles and responsibilities; Standard 1.3Avoiding undue delay

14. ”I was a bit frightened but I came here and I felt very comfortable from the first day, because it was a quiet place, I mean it was very different, even the posters, I mean, I was in the waiting room and I looked at the posters, the magazines and it was much more enjoyable ... ... I was much more relaxed, everything that happened was still in my head but when it came up it was different, a different atmosphere, you know? There’s no comparison.” 19 year old male, heard at age 14 and 16, victim, sexual abuse ”It was very nice. A dream room ... It’s like a child’s room ... Yes, there were toys... Perfect, it felt great.” 13 year old girl, victim, sexual abuse

15. Furnishing and material are child friendly and age appropriate, especially in the waiting rooms. The premises are physically safe for children at all ages and developmental stages, including for children with disabilities and/or special needs. Examples of indicators: • The child is welcomed by a friendly staff member and offered something to drink; • Content, for example toys, magazines and books, and furniture in the waiting area meet the needs of both younger and older children, children with special needs and disabilities; • The interior has been designed according to best practice guidance to maintain indoor accessibility Standard 4.2Child-friendly interior environment

16. ”It was an open room for all the police officers... it was not very practical because everyone heard what I said ... it was not very suitable for children ... Sometimes I did not want to answer questions but I was obliged to. 13 year old girl, victim, domestic violence

17. There are separate soundproof and private areas available to ensure privacy Examples of indicators: • Separate waiting rooms are available if needed to protect the privacy or safety of the children or if required by law enforcement; • The rooms are soundproof; • The location and sign-posting of the service is discreet. Standard 4.3 Privacy

18. Well, it’s good to have a social worker like that , female or male, with whom you can talk like with a friend.... Basically. That’s what I like about her. I don’t know, she’s like, really great. You can really talk with her... Tell her everything you think, and stuff. Yeah, she really helped me a lot.” 17 year old girl, victim, domestic violence

19. A designated, trained individual, for example a social worker, or member of the Barnahus team monitors the multidisciplinary response to ensure that there is continuous support and follow up with the child and non-offending family/care-givers. Standard 5.4 SUPPORT PERSON • Examples of indicators: • The child and caregivers are provided with continuous support and regular information throughout the whole investigative and judicial process; • If the role as support person/coordinator is carried out by an authority that is not present in the service, a team member in the service is responsible for liaising with this authority, ensuring adequate communication and follow up.

20. ”They expect kids to answer some uncomfortable questions and they ask them with their official tone, which makes kids feel uneasy and makes it harder to answer” (15-year old girl, victim, sexual abuse) They shouldn’t torture the child to tell the story so many times ... Very torturous. But just tell it once, I guess, for example... Directly to the physchologist to tell an investigator, tell someone, and then they should transfer all testimony to the judge and the child should not be called in again. And the worst case, the child should tell the judge ... But not in court. 14 year old girs, victim, sexual abuse ”It was unpleasant for me that I had to retell several times what had happened – police officers, investigating officers, preliminary investigating officers perhaps, I don’t know what exactly they were, but it was unpleasant that I had to retell the same thing more than once.” 16 year old boy, victim and witness, sexual abuse ”These people who run the interviews. I think they are the most important – they should be calm and friendly. It is the key thing.” (16 year old boy, victim, domestic violence)

21. The main aim of the interview is to avoid retraumatisation and to elicit the child´s free narrative in as much detail as possible while complying with the rules of evidence and the rights of the defence so that the child’s testimony is valid in court. 6.2 Forensic interviews are carried out by specialised staff members who receive regular training in conducting forensic interviewing; 6.6 The interview is adapted to the child’s age, development and cultural background and takes into account special needs including interpretation. This may include minimising the length of interviews, allowing breaks, and potentially conducting the interview over more than one session. The number of interviews is limited to the minimum necessary for the criminal investigation. The same professional conducts the interview if multiple interviews are necessary. Standard 6 Forensic interviews – 6.2 Specialised staff 6.6 Adapted to child

22. ”I adore talking with her (psychologist) ... First, the way she talks is very relaxing and you are relieved when you talk to her ... Also she relates to you in a great way. Everything’s great! 15 year old boy, victim, domestic violence

23. 8.1 Assessment and treatment is routinely made available for victims and witnesses that are referred to Barnahus 8.2 Mental health services and treatment are provided by professionals with specialised training and expertise Standard 8. THERAPEUTIC SERVICES

24. The European Barnahus Quality Standards can be downloaded here: http://www.childrenatrisk.eu/promise/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/PROMISE-European-Barnahus-Quality-Standards.pdf Thank You!