On 28 February 2024, a Vision Workshop was organised in Dublin to discuss the key messages of the Barnahus Communication Strategy, currently being developed under the joint European Union–Council of Europe project “Support the implementation of the Barnahus project in Ireland”. The workshop counted with the participation of EU DG Reform, the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY), Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), the Health Service Executive (HSE), Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, An Garda Síochana, (Ireland’s Police force), and the Barnahus National Agency Steering Committee (BNASC), representatives from Barnahus West and South, and Juvo. The Workshop was facilitated by Council of Europe experts, Accenture, who has worked in close coordination with the BNASC to implement the model in Ireland, and Emma Harewood, who led the setup of the Lighthouse Barnahus in London.

As the Barnahus model is being set in Ireland, the need to inform different stakeholders about it arise. Participants discussed which would be the key messages, timeframe and most impactful channels to inform different target groups, including staff working in Irish Departments and Agencies implementing Barnahus in Ireland, professionals directly impacted by Barnahus, the general public, and referred children and families. The conclusions of the workshop will feed into the Communication Strategy for Barnahus, which will be developed in consultation with children.