On 10 - 11 March 2026, the fourth inter-regional meeting of the European Union - Council of Europe joint project “Strengthening child-friendly justice among Barnahus-type services in Spanish regions (Phase II)” took place in Pamplona, Navarra. The meeting brought together 64 participants, including representatives from 16 Autonomous Communities and Cities (CCAA), national authorities and project partners, to continue strengthening co-ordinated and comprehensive responses to violence against children across the country.

As part of the project’s governance structure, an inter-regional meeting is organised each year to facilitate exchange, peer learning and co-ordination in the implementation of the Barnahus model across Spain and its regions. Following previous editions held in Tarragona, Las Palmas and Madrid, the 2026 meeting was held in Pamplona, notably in connection with the recent inauguration of the new Barnahus in Navarra, one of the pilot regions during Phase I of the project.

Over the two-day meeting, participants reviewed progress achieved since the previous meeting and discussed ongoing activities, in particular:

• A draft self-assessment tool for Barnahus units, intended to help services reflect on their practices, assess their performance against quality standards and identify areas for improvement. An interactive session was organised to improve the tool during the meeting and five regions (Aragón, Balearic Islands, Castilla-La Mancha, Catalunya and Murcia) requested the possibility to pilot the tool with the support of independent experts. 
• A draft mapping study on reporting systems on violence against children, which aims to provide a clearer understanding of how cases are identified, reported and handled across institutional pathways in Spain and its regions. Interactive discussions with regional focal points offered valuable practical perspectives and contributed to refining the analysis.

Participants also visited the newly inaugurated Barnahus center of Pamplona, where they had opportunity to observe the practical application of the Barnahus model on site. During the visit, professionals presented the premises, multidisciplinary working approach and co-ordination mechanisms established to support child victims, allowing participants to gain practical insights into the functioning of a Barnahus service. The visit highlighted the progress achieved to date and served as a source of inspiration for other regions moving forward with their own implementation processes. At least four other regions are expected to open Barnahus premises in 2026.

The Project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in co-operation with the European Commission, Reform and Investment Task Force (SG REFORM), and in collaboration with the Spanish Ministry of Youth and Childhood and Ministry of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with the Parliament.

Resources:

• Event programme (in Spanish)
• Barnahus leaflet 
• Updated Mapping Study on the implementation of the Barnahus model in Spain (2025, in Spanish)