Barnahus centers

PROTECTING CHILDREN THROUGH BARNAHUS MODEL

ICF “Ukrainian Foundation for Public Health” (UFPH) is an international charitable foundation established by a global health and human rights organization HealthRight International. Its goal is to strengthen local capacity and support Ukrainian initiatives to provide vital assistance to the most vulnerable women, children, and young people. We have been active in Ukraine since 2005 and are implementing models aimed at preventing social orphanhood, gender-based violence, HIV, and AIDS; promoting the development of local communities by increasing the capability of public organizations and local governments to improve the range, access, and quality of social and rehabilitation services.

Based on the experience of implementing projects in 30 countries, our activities focus on the following areas: protection and support of victims of violence and human rights violations; integration and socialization of ATO/JFO combatants; the health and well-being of orphans and children deprived of parental care, as well as children and young people at risk

BACKGROUND

On June 15, 2021, at the session of the Interagency Coordination Council on Juvenile Justice, the following key documents and decisions were approved:

The typical provision of the Center of Protection and Socio Psychological Aid in the Process of Child Victims or Witnesses of Violence (Barnahus Model).

The order of the above project’s implementation.

The establishment of a Barnahus in the Vinnytsia region.

The inclusion of a coordinator, psychologists, and social worker in a Barnahus.

On December 09, 2021, we held the "Implementation of the Barnahus model in Mykolaiv" roundtable to present the model and newly opened center in Mykolaiv. The event was attended by the Vice Minister of Justice of Ukraine, the Vice Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, representatives from UNICEF, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the General Directorate of the National Police of Ukraine, the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, the Ministry for Social Policy of Ukraine, and local authorities.

By December 31, 2025, Barnahus centers operate in Vinnytsia, Volyn, Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Zakarpattia, Kirovohrad, Lviv, Poltava, Sumy, Ternopil, Chernivtsi regions, as well as in the cities of Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa and Cherkasy.

Within the framework of the Barnahus centres' activities, 2,258 investigative and procedural actions were carried out in relation to 1,843 children who were victims of or witnesses to violence, including

- Interrogations of children (including witnesses and victims of Russian war crimes) – 1,779;

- Other investigative and procedural actions (forensic medical examinations, identification, etc.) – 479.

Іn particular, 6,015 services were provided, namely consultations with a psychologist and social worker, referrals, and pre-medical/medical assistance

In addition, the project provided advanced training to 196 specialists, who deepened their knowledge of the specifics of interacting with children during interviews, standards of psychological support, interdisciplinary cooperation to help affected children, and working with technical equipment used during interviews.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The main tasks of Barnahus centers are

● To conduct criminal proceedings according to the needs of child victims or witnesses of violence, primarily those under 18 years of age, in friendly environments to decrease levels of stress, prevent psychological trauma, and facilitate the realization of the criminal proceeding’s tasks.

● To provide complex social, psychological, legal, and medical aid to children.

All Barnahus Centers include 5 rooms, and each contains a particular operation:

Interviews and work with psychologists

Interview monitoring/reviewing

Child waiting area

Teenager and adult waiting areа

Medical room

In their work, Barnahus centers are guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted on 20 November 1989, the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, the European Convention on the Exercise of the Children's Rights, international standards on children-friendly justice and international agreements, ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Constitution and the laws of Ukraine, decrees of the Verkhovna Rada, acts of the President of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, decrees of governmental agencies, and other normative legal acts.

1,843 children who were victims of violence or witnessed it received support in the Barnahus centers. 2,258 investigative and procedural actions were carried out in relation to them, including 1,779 interrogations and 479 other investigative actions (forensic medical examinations, identification, etc.). In addition, 6,015 services were provided, namely consultations with a psychologist and social worker, referrals, and pre-medical/medical care.

Every Barnahus center includes:

• Interview room for interviews with psychologists
• Observation room for staff and interagency team
• Waiting room for children
• Waiting room for adolescents and adults
• Room for medical evaluations

In their work, Barnahus centers are guided by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child adopted on 20 November 1989, the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, the European Convention on the Exercise of the Children's Rights, international standards on children-friendly justice and international agreements, ratified by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, the Constitution and the laws of Ukraine, decrees of the Verkhovna Rada, acts of the President of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, decrees of governmental agencies, and other normative legal acts.

SERVICES OFFERED BY THE PROJECT

✔️ Coordinated parallel criminal investigations and welfare assessments of child victims or witnesses of violence in a child-friendly environment and using age-appropriate approaches to decrease their levels of stress and prevent psychological trauma, and
✔️ Provision of children survivors and witnesses of violence with comprehensive social, psychological, legal, and medical assistance.

CONTACTS

Contacts of Barnahus centers:

м. Київ +38 (067) 232 96 19

м. Кропивницький +38 (099) 763-11-86

м. Одеса +38 (099) 349-10-56

м. Суми +38 (050) 210-03-98

м. Полтава +38 (066) 397-74-40

м. Черкаси +38 (067) 7792030

м. Чернівці +38 (067) 783-72-93

м. Миколаїв +38 (063) 162-02-14, +38 (098) 899-32-53

м. Тернопіль +38 (097) 027-65-39

м. Житомир +38 (096) 656-98-24

смт. Вороновиця (Вінницька область) +38 (098) 477-37-18

с. Жабка  (Волинська область, Луцький  район) +38 (095) 532-21-59

МORE INFORMATION

Ольга Реженко, координаторка проєкту – olha.rezhenko@healthright.org