Forth Valley Bairns' Hoose
About the model
The Forth Valley Partnership, bringing together NHS Forth Valley, Police Scotland and Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling Councils, has entered its second year of scoping work to assess the feasibility of establishing a Bairns’ Hoose service.
This Bairns’ Hoose Project is part of Forth Valley Partnership’s wider commitment to strengthening support, protection and recovery pathways for children, young people and families. Central to this work is the involvement of our Forth Valley Changemakers, a group of young people whose insights and lived perspectives are helping to shape how the service is designed and delivered.
The Partnership is working collaboratively across agencies, alongside the Changemakers Group, to explore how the Bairns’ Hoose model could be delivered locally and what infrastructure, workforce and service changes would be required to make it a reality.
What is it?
Bairns’ Hoose is Scotland’s adaptation of Iceland’s Barnahus model, meaning “children’s house”.
We are child-centred, trauma-informed and respect the rights and wellbeing of the child at all times
Bairns’ Hoose is designed to be a warm, welcoming and child friendly environment where children and young people can access all the support they need after experiencing harm, witnessing abuse, or displaying behaviours that have caused harm while under the Age of Criminal Responsibility. The model brings care, protection, health and recovery services together, ensuring children receive compassionate, coordinated support at every stage of their journey.
The overall aim of Bairns’ Hoose is to make sure children and young people are surrounded by people who understand trauma and receive seamless care from all agencies working together.
Child‑centred
Trauma‑informed
Collaborative
What We Do
Our Approach
Built Together
Our Commitment
Bairns' Hoose
Child Protection Procedures
These short videos explain the processes involved and show how different services work together to support, listen to, and protect children and young people.
Forth Valley Partnership
Forth Valley Partnership is shaping its Bairns’ Hoose model by focusing first on relationships, values, practice and culture, before any decisions are made about buildings or locations. This means building a system where children’s voices, family experience and professional expertise guide every stage of development.
