CYCJ’s response to the Bairns' Hoose Consultation

The Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice (CYCJ) has shared its response to the consultation on standards for the Bairns’ Hoose.

Bairns’ Hoose is a model that supports a child-centred response to health and justice for victims or witnesses of serious crime and abuse.

CYCJ was funded by Healthcare Improvement Scotland to work with children and young people on drafting the standards. Our report ‘‘Hear Us, Make Changes’ was co-produced with this group, sharing their views on how the Bairns’ Hoose can be as helpful as possible for children in Scotland who have been victims of harm, as well as children under 12 whose actions might have caused harm.

CYCJ believes that the creation of the Bairns’ Hoose is a welcome step in achieving a rights-respecting response to children in need, and those under the age of criminal responsibility who may have caused harm. The proposed standards offer a good starting point upon which services can build provision which reduces the harmful elements of child protection and welfare investigations. We note that they are based upon existing PROMISE standards found on continental Europe, and as such feel reassured that they are shaped by several years of practice and are likely to provide the level of care required.

However, it is regrettable that the opportunity to provide a Bairns’ Hoose which serves the needs of all children has not been taken, and that a large number of children will continue to face the daunting and often traumatising experience of unnecessary contact with the criminal justice system.