Scotland’s Bairns’ Hooses are to receive multiyear funding from next year as the service works towards ensuring every child who needs specialist support following abuse or violence can access it by 2031.
The Scottish Government has confirmed funding will cover the financial years from 2027 to 2028 until 2029 to 2030, with the amount to be announced in next year’s Budget.
Bairns’ Hooses bring health, justice, social work and recovery services together around children who have been victims or witnesses of abuse or violence that has caused, or is likely to cause, significant harm.
The approach is designed to prevent children having to repeatedly recount traumatic experiences to different services while ensuring the support they need is available around them.
Nine Bairns’ Hooses are currently operating across Scotland, with a tenth expected to open in Fife.
More than £30 million has already been invested in the programme, with the longer funding settlement intended to give local partnerships greater certainty when recruiting specialist staff and planning services.
Children and Young People Minister Siobhian Brown said:
“No child should have to face the aftermath of abuse or trauma alone, or be made to tell their story over and over again to different people, at what is already one of the most difficult times in their life.
“Bairns’ Hoose exists to wrap support around children when they need it most, bringing together the people who can help.
“The proposed multi-year investment, covering financial years 2027-28 to 2029-30, would build on more than £30 million already invested in the programme.
“Nine Bairns’ Hooses are currently operational across Scotland, providing trauma-informed, child-centred support to children who have experienced abuse or violence and with a tenth site in Fife expected to be up and running soon.
“Local partnerships are at the heart of delivering of Bairns’ Hoose, bringing key statutory partners across justice, health and recovery support services together around the child.
‘We have listened to feedback from partnerships who asked for multi-year funding to give the certainty needed to plan, recruit and scale up services effectively, supporting the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure every child who needs it has access to a Bairns’ Hoose by May 2031.”
Children First welcomed the funding commitment but said further investment would be required if the model is to deliver everything expected of it.
Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First, said:
“The guarantee of multi-year funding for the Bairns Hoose model is a vital investment in the future of children who have experienced violence and abuse.
“Every child has a right to get all the trauma-informed care, justice, protection, advocacy and recovery support they need through Bairns Hoose to move on with their lives, without delay.
“While Scotland has made significant progress since Children First opened the first Bairns Hoose in 2023, there must now be a greater focus on funding the therapeutic recovery, advocacy and participation which lie at the core of the model.
“Without it, Bairns Hoose will not deliver the transformation in systems that children need and which the Scottish Government aspires to.
“The roll out of Bairns Hoose is a wider step to ensuring that no child is asked to go to court unless it is absolutely and unavoidably necessary.
“Alongside today’s commitment and the funding that will be required to fully deliver the Bairns Hoose model, the principle that court is no place for children needs to be enshrined in legislation to give child victims confidence that their wellbeing and recovery is the priority.”
The commitment therefore provides greater certainty over the next stage of the national expansion, while Children First is making clear that certainty over funding is not the same as completing the job.
The Scottish Government’s target remains for every child in Scotland who needs the support of a Bairns’ Hoose to have access to one by May 2031.
