Bairns Hoose launch
A new centre designed to help children affected by abuse or violence is nearly ready to open its doors in Dumfries and Galloway.
A pioneering centre designed to support children who have experienced abuse or violence is on the verge of opening in Dumfries and Galloway.
The Bairns Hoose — a Scottish Government-led initiative being rolled out across the country — brings together child protection, health, justice, and recovery services under one roof, so that vulnerable children do not have to attend multiple locations or retell their traumatic experiences repeatedly.
The Dumfries and Galloway facility is now almost ready to welcome its first children, with renovation work complete and the final preparations underway.
A report, which will be tabled at Dumfries and Galloway Council’s social work committee next week, states that cameras were installed on April 7 and 8, with fire safety training for staff to be completed before the keys are formally handed over.
The exact location of the facility has not been disclosed in the council report — given the sensitive nature of the service and the need to protect the identity of those who use it.
The report states that “the purpose of Bairns Hoose is to provide trauma-informed recovery, support and justice in one child-friendly place,” adding that the approach “minimises retraumatisation and improves the quality of evidence collected.”
The Scottish Government has set out a clear national vision for what Bairns Hoose should achieve.
A statement on the Scottish Government website reads: “The overall vision of Bairns’ Hoose is that all children in Scotland who have been victims or witnesses of abuse or violence which has caused, or is likely to cause, significant harm will have access to trauma-informed recovery, support and justice.
“Bairns’ Hoose will also ensure that any child under the age of criminal responsibility whose behaviour may have caused serious harm or abuse will have access to trauma-informed, needs-focused support and recovery.”
Quality assurance work has been carried out to establish a baseline of where Dumfries and Galloway stands in meeting the Bairns Hoose standards.
The council report states that “this evaluation work has informed our implementation plan with actions being taken forward” by four dedicated subgroups covering child protection, justice and rights, health and wellbeing and recovery, and operational matters.
By bringing services together in a single, child-friendly environment, the Bairns Hoose model aims to ensure that the needs of the child remain at the centre of every interaction — from the initial disclosure of abuse through to recovery.