Koulla Yiasouma

A new report published yesterday explores the benefit of adopting the “one-door approach” to supporting children who have been sexually abused, which was developed in Scandinavia and is now being adopted across 22 countries.

The research was conducted by experts at the University of Edinburgh, Queen’s University Belfast and Children 1st, and launched at a roundtable attended by Northern Ireland ministers and judges.

Koulla Yiasouma, the commissioner for children and young people, said: “There is already a robust body of evidence in Northern Ireland about the weaknesses in the current system of investigating and prosecuting sexual crimes against children.

“The need for system change was reiterated by professionals from across criminal justice, health and social care and the voluntary sector in this research.”

“The young people who took part clearly outlined their need for their experience of sexual abuse to be believed and validated. They also talked about a loss of identity and their fear of sharing their experiences within the criminal justice system. All evidence that children have not been at the centre of these processes. They make the strongest case for why the system must change.”

She added: “If we took a ‘Barnahus’ approach, children would be interviewed and medically examined for forensic purposes, comprehensively assessed, and receive recovery services from relevant professionals all within one location, ‘under one roof’.

“This aims to prevent re-traumatisation during the subsequent investigation and court proceedings. Barnahus is designed around the needs of children and young people, not the criminal justice system.”

Recent PSNI statistics indicate that children are the predominant victim group for sexual offences in Northern Ireland, with 56 per cent (2,197) of all recorded sexual crimes in 2021 being committed against under 18s.

Ms Yiasouma said: “We need a better system that supports them right through from disclosure, to seeking justice and recovery. Our report builds on the Department of Justice scoping review from October 2019 and makes a clear statement that Barnahus is the most supported model in which to progress this.”

She said the report and its recommendations “act as a roadmap by which a Barnahus service can be realised in Northern Ireland”, adding: “Time to get on with implementation.”