The Bairns’ Hoose Project Team held a Collaborative Learning Event at the Strathclyde Innovation and Technology Centre in Glasgow on 24 April 2024. The event was planned to give Pathfinders the opportunity to progress work with real-time in-person support from the project team and other Pathfinders.
During the day, we held Conversation Café sessions to allow Pathfinders to share their own progress and challenges. It created a chance for Pathfinders to better understand the different approaches being taken by one another and how they are each working towards implementing the Bairns’ Hoose standards.
We also had a brilliant session from colleagues from The Lighthouse in London. The Lighthouse is the UK’s first Child House and is based on the international Barnahus model. It is run by University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) in partnership with the Metropolitan Police and the NSPCC. As part of the Lighthouse therapeutic services, the NSPCC offer the Letting the Future In intervention. They shared their journey and lessons learned, relating it to the stages of development Pathfinder colleagues are in now. Feedback from Pathfinders showed this session to be very insightful as they progress on their own journeys.
The event encouraged Pathfinder colleagues to share hopes and fears, ask questions and reflect on the good progress made thus far. The Scottish Government Bairns’ Hoose Unit provided a programme update, and Healthcare Improvement Scotland led a discussion on learnings from the day, as well as asking what knowledge exchange sessions would be helpful in future.
Lola Harewood shared her insight from the sessions: ‘I noticed the differences between England and Scottish Barnahus model and the variety of approaches to Bairns Hoose across Scotland.
Children will appreciate the homely feel of the Bairns Hoose, creating a calm and safe feel.’
Finally, Pathfinders were given a session on trauma-informed practice, and how this can be embedded in the development of Bairns’ Hoose. Pathfinders were then encouraged to discuss their progress and next steps in becoming more trauma-informed partnerships. This is a vital consideration as Pathfinders move forward in their aims of creating transformational change for children and young people who have experienced trauma.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the day, and we look forward for future opportunities to bring Pathfinder colleagues together.
