What is our objective?

The purpose of the Children's House and our work is to provide support and protection to children who are witnesses or victims of sexual violence. A key innovation is the multidisciplinary and inter-institutional treatment of child victims of crime, which brings together the coordination of concurrent criminal and child protection proceedings, while at the same time providing children with help at a single location in a child-friendly and safe environment.

The Children's House facilitates treatment involving cooperation between the relevant institutions, such as the police, social services, mental and physical health services and the judiciary.

The Children's House will provide a forensic interview and medical examination of the child, and not only police officers and doctors will be involved in the holistic treatment of the child, but also prosecutors, judges and the lawyers of the accused. The need for short-term or long-term therapeutic and family support will also be assessed.

Raising public awareness of child sexual abuse

Sensitisation and awareness-raising are key conditions for identifying and taking action to prevent and respond to crimes against children. Following consultation with interested groups and partners, and based on the results of research, information and awareness-raising materials have been developed and adapted to the Slovenian context. Social media campaigns are also being carried out to disseminate information and raise public awareness of abuse and crimes against children in Slovenia.

We are conducting research on the levels of awareness of sexual violence against children in Slovenia

Within the project, we are conducting quantitative and qualitative research to build awareness and understanding of child sexual abuse in Slovenia.

We provide training and sensitisation sessions for professionals working with or for children

Certain social workers, criminologists, and court and health care system staff are trained to work according to the Barnahus Children's House model. Targeted education and training are provided to groups of selected professionals to identify and report crimes committed against children.