Milestone Commemorated in Parliament
SNP MSP Rona Mackay will today (Wednesday 13th September) lead a members’ debate in the Scottish Parliament on the opening of the first Bairns’ Hoose in Scotland, commending the SNP Scottish Government and third sector organisations who are responsible for its creation.
The debate will highlight the support that Bairns’ Hoose provides for children, young people and their families in north Strathclyde who are affected by abuse or violence. The facility ensures that protection, care and recovery services are available to them under one roof.
A key action from The Promise, the creation of Bairns’ Hoose test sites will ensure a range of trauma-informed support is available to child victims and witnesses, aiming to improve their experience of the justice system and reduce stress when recounting their experiences.
Healthcare including therapeutic support will be available, as well as child protection, recovery and justice services. Children below the age of criminal responsibility, whose behaviour has caused harm, will also have access to Bairns’ Hoose.
Five multi-agency test sites are expected to be created with learning from the sites providing a blueprint for a full pilot of Bairns’ Hoose in 2025.
I am delighted that Scotland’s first Bairns Hoose is now open, providing critical support to children and young people who come into contact with the justice system as victims or witnesses of violent crime.
GRAEME
These sites are to be a sanctuary environment for the families they serve, enabling recovery by bringing together health, justice and social work interventions.
No child or young person should have to go through the kinds of experiences lived by those who Bairns Hoose is for.
But the introduction of this service model is a testament to the SNP government’s commitment to compassion and ensuring the needs of victims are at the heart of Scotland’s justice system.
