Bairns' Hoose - Scottish Barnahus: vision, principles and approach

Phased approach to implementation

We are taking a phased approach to the implementation of Bairns’ Hoose to create a system that works nationally. This allows time to build in the learning and evaluation needed to ensure that the Bairns’ Hoose model is achieving the correct outcomes and is aligned with other key policy objectives.

In our Programme for Government 2025-26, Ministers have committed to testing our approach to Bairns' Hoose across ten areas, providing safe, trauma-informed environments where child victims and witnesses can access multi-agency support and recovery services whilst participating in the child protection, justice, and health processes. This testing phase with inform an incremental national roll out beginning in 2027. 

During the Pathfinder phase (2023-2027) this is being delivered through working with ten Bairns’ Hoose partnerships, six Pathfinders and four Affiliates, to gather crucial learning and evidence to inform and shape the development of a Bairns’ Hoose Blueprint (Guidance). The Scottish Government has commissioned a multi-method research to Ipsos to gather evidence from Pathfinder and Affiliate partnerships in order to inform the development of the Blueprint (Guidance).

The ten partnerships cover a range of geographical and operational contexts including island, rural and urban areas, as well as cross-boundary partnerships involving multiple local authorities, sheriffdoms, police divisions and health boards. This range of contexts allows us to capture rich learning which will help us to understand and address the complexity of the required systemic change.

The aims of the partnerships are to trial and test the Bairns’ Hoose Standards within local contexts, learn what works in each context, identify challenges and produce knowledge about the methods, practices and resources required for implementation.

As we move towards spring 2027, our focus is increasingly turning to consolidating the learning from the Pathfinder Phase to develop the national Blueprint (Guidance) and a supporting development kit which will guide the incremental rollout from summer 2027.