Centres based on the Barnahus model to be included in state child protection system in Ukraine
Ukraine plans to enshrine the Barnahus model as part of the state child protection system and child-friendly justice, the Justice Ministry’s press service reported. In particular, there are plans to create uniform standards for the centres’ work and expand their presence to all regions.
Photo credit: Khmelnytskyi Oblast Military AdministrationCurrently, 17 centres based on the Barnahus model operate in Ukraine, 15 of which were opened after the start of the full-scale war. These are places where multidisciplinary teams work, bringing together psychologists, medical workers, social workers and law enforcement officers. There, children who have witnessed or survived violence are interviewed once to avoid re-traumatisation.
During this time, over 4,000 investigative actions involving children have been conducted at the centres in more than 2,500 criminal proceedings. Over 3,000 children have received assistance.
The next step is the institutional consolidation of the Barnahus model, the unification of work standards and the gradual expansion of their reach to all Ukrainian regions, the ministry noted:
“Among the key tasks: introducing clear interdepartmental interaction mechanisms, uniform standards for the centres’ work and support for children after the completion of procedural actions, sustainable funding and staffing. Ukraine is already working on an interdepartmental roadmap, which should help systematically integrate the Barnahus centres into the state child protection and child-friendly justice system.”
The project “Implementation of the Barnahus model for the protection of children victims of violence” has been implemented since 2020 by the Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health ICF with the support of the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) office in Ukraine.
Ukraine is implementing the Barnahus model as part of its obligations to the EU and the Council of Europe, in particular to implement the Lanzarote Convention. This is one of the key steps towards child-friendly justice, which operates successfully in Europe.
To provide background, there are plans to create a department for the protection and support in the justice process of children who have suffered from or witnessed violence in Zaporizhzhia. Such a space based on the Barnahus model will be set up in a shelter for the first time.
ZMINA earlier reported that Law No. 4073-IX came into force on 19 December 2024. It regulates the activities of specialised centres assisting children who have suffered from or witnessed violence. One of the document’s innovations was the inclusion of Barnahus centres in the list of support services for victims of domestic and gender-based violence.
Related: Kyiv region opens specialised recovery centre for children affected by war and violence
You can read in detail about the work of a Barnahus model centre in Kyiv in a ZMINA article.
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