Bairns Hoose Practical Guide
Delivering the Vision: A practical guide to developing Bairns Hoose
This practical guide tells the story of how Children First and partners brought the Barnahus model to Scotland. The guide is intended to help share our learning, so that every child in Scotland can get all the care, protection, justice and recovery support they need in a child friendly space.
It documents our journey of delivering the vision of Scotland's first Bairns Hoose with North Strathclyde partners, SCRA, COPFS, SCTS and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Children and families are at the heart of our work and they have played a critical in the development and design of our local Bairns Hoose and the national roll out of the model. Thank you to each and every child, young person and family member that has courageously shared their experiences to shape the introduction and development of Bairns Hoose. We couldn't have done it without you.
The voices and views of the children, professionals and partners that were involved in every aspect of designing, building and operating the Bairns Hoose are shared throughout this guide. The guide also sets out the need for systems change and the evidence and rationale for Bairns Hoose.
We hope this guide is helpful to partnerships embarking on their journey towards Bairns Hoose and provides a blueprint for the roll out of a high quality and consistent approach that holds children's needs and rights in heart and mind.
Trust me and make sure I’m okay,
Cos I’m not another number on your page
I am strong and I am brave. "
Background
Children First have campaigned over decades for transformational change to the justice system due to the re-traumatisation of children and families who are victims and witnesses of violence. The experiences children and families have shared with us show the importance of every step of a child’s journey being trauma-informed.
Children's rights to be heard, supported and to recover from trauma need to be paramount.
In 2020 Children First began work with our partners Victim Support Scotland, University of Edinburgh, and Children England with funding from People’s Postcode Lottery to develop Scotland’s first Bairns Hoose. The work built on the North Strathclyde partnership which was established as a pilot area for the Scottish Child Interview Model and included a Children First trauma recovery team. The partnership involves East Renfrewshire, East Dunbartonshire, Inverclyde and Renfrewshire local authorities, two police divisions (G and K Divisions) and Children First.
The first Bairns Hoose opened in August 2023 supporting children and families across the North Strathclyde area. The North Strathclyde Bairns Hoose is a member of the international Barnahus Network.
This online resource offers a clear and comprehensive practical guide to establishing a Bairns Hoose for child victims and witnesses of violence. This work builds on strong partnerships and meets the strategic aims of Victim Support Scotland and Children First to improve the experiences of children and their families through the justice journey.
This guide has been developed with funding from our partner Victim Support Scotland.
How to use this guide
This guide is split into six sections:
- The Case for Bairns Hoose
- Putting Participation at the Heart of Bairns Hoose
- Building a Bairns Hoose
- How Bairns Hoose Works in Practice
- Evaluating and Improving Bairns Hoose.
- Bairns Hoose Resources
Select the start this section button to read a section in full, or use the short cut buttons to choose the content that's most relevant to you. Use the purple drop down menu at the top of each page to return to any part of the guide you choose.
Explaining why the Barnahus model is needed in Scotland and the history behind the development of the country's first Bairns Hoose.
Putting Participation at the Heart
Developing a Bairns Hoose that has the voices of children, young people and families' voices at its heart.
Building a Bairns Hoose
The stages of designing, developing and building a Bairns Hoose.
How Bairns Hoose Works in Practice
Defining the operating model, and the importance of coordination and cooperation.
Data, Evaluation and Improving
Understanding data, quality and improvement in Bairns Hoose.
Resources
Useful links and resources relating to Barnahus/Bairns Hoose
The Bairns Hoose practical guide reflects the incredible effort and tenacity from many people involved. Thank you to the People’s Postcode Lottery who provided partnership funding of Children First, University of Edinburgh, Victim Support Scotland and Children England to build the first Bairns Hoose. There was always a clear commitment to share our learning and this practical guide provides the insights and experience of this work.
Thank you to Nicola Hall and her team at Lee Boyd Architects for the design of the first Bairns Hoose and sharing her expertise on all aspects of the design and build process commissioned by Children First. Dr Camille Warrington provided the evidence sections, and the Phase one and Phase two North Strathclyde Evaluations (2023 & 2024) led by Dr Mary Mitchell and Professor John Devaney at the University of Edinburgh provide a growing evidence base for Bairns Hoose.
The team at Children First include Mary Glasgow (CEO), Anna O’Reilly (Assistant Director Bairns Hoose), Veronica McCourt (Former Head of Property), Shirley Ireland (Head of Property), Harriet Hall (Head of Communications and Marketing), Luke Wilcox (Head of IT) and Martyn MacLean (Information Governance Manager) who have all shared their experience in establishing Bairns Hoose. The guide has been developed by Dr Louise Hill (Former Head of Policy, Evidence and Impact) with funding from our partner, Victim Support Scotland.
Thank you to all the children, young people, families and practitioners who have shared their voices for this practical guide to support the transformational change needed in the justice system.
Our learning has been generated through our work with children, young people and families and practitioners. The guide reflects the many professionals required to work together to establish a Bairns Hoose. This practical guide is available for others to use, share and adapt for non-commercial purposes provided appropriate credit is given. This is licenced under Creative Commons Licence CC BY-NC 4.0 Deed. Terms and conditions are available here: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0.
Citation for use of the Practical Guide –
Children First (2025) Delivering the Vision of Bairns Hoose: The Practical Guide, Edinburgh: Children First.