Children’s Advocacy Centers (Barnahus) in Sweden

Abstract

This article is based on an evaluation of Children's Advocacy Centers (CAC) in six municipalities in Sweden 2006Sweden -2007. The study concerned cooperation between different authorities (police, social services, public prosecutor, forensic medicine, pediatrics and child psychiatry) responsible for children who were suspected of being exposed to sexual or physical abuse. It is anticipated that use of CACs will improve the quality of investigations and that the legal process should thus be facilitated and rendered more effective. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 12 children and 22 parents at the different centers. Interviews included their experiences regarding the place and the premises, the treatment, earlier contacts with professionals, information and access to treatment and support. The results show that both children and parents appreciated the child-friendly and safe environment and the kind treatment by the staff. Information from the professionals was of crucial importance. The different processes taking place in connection with interrogation and assessments were potentially (at times) difficult to understand. It was at times difficult for the professional actors to take both the children's, the parents' and the families' perspectives into consideration especially in relation to the suspected offenders. Voices from children and parents have contributed to deepened understanding about the complexity in applying a child-centered approach and a child perspective within the domain of child protection. The evaluation generated important knowledge with implications for practice and further development of Children's advocacy centers.

The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

“…When children disclose having been sexually abused, it generally provokes an intense reaction and may lead to various investigation processes (Plummer, & Eastin, 2007;Rasmusson, 2010). While a medical exam may be performed (Whittier Newton, & Vandeven, 2010), the exam does not always reveal useful evidence that supports the victims' claims as often, visible trauma cannot be found (Modelli, Galvao, & Pratesi, 2012).…”

Staging a Caring Atmosphere: Child-Friendliness in Barnahus as a Multidimensional Phenomenon

“…As I will explain in the following, children who visit Barnahus generally appreciate the atmosphere of the place, and the physical environment seems to play a key part in their positive evaluation (see also Rasmusson 2011).…”

To Be Summoned to Barnahus: Children’s Perspectives

“…Because children who are in contact with Barnahus often are in a vulnerable position (Rasmusson 2011), a key concern in the study was how children's participation and need for protection could be balanced (cf. Alderson 2010;Ost 2013).…”

“…The collaborating agencies (police, public prosecution, forensic medicine, paediatrics, child psychiatry and child welfare services) are expected to put the children's rights into practice (Swedish National Police Board 2008;Johansson 2012;Rasmusson 2011).…”

“…With consideration of the child's perspectives and to be able to coordinate parallel ongoing investigations-criminal, social and medical-the prosecutor can decide to give the child welfare caseworker, a paediatrician and/or somebody from the child psychiatry services the right to be present in the co-hearing room (Swedish Prosecution Authority 2016). The objective of a joint interview is to protect children from unnecessarily telling their stories repeatedly to different persons in different places (Rasmusson 2011). After the interview, the child returns to the waiting room where accompanying persons (see below) are waiting.…”