Support for child victims - Under 13 Protocol and Barnahus
A judge-led voluntary protocol to expedite serious sexual offence cases involving child witnesses under 13 years of age is in operation in Belfast and Antrim Crown Courts and is delivering positive results with a significant reduction in the time taken to deal with cases that fall within the protocol.
In 2024, participating organisations agreed to expedite, where possible, serious sexual offence cases involving under 16 years in all jurisdictions, but these cases are not subject to the same timeframes as in the U13 protocol.
The Department is considering how to support the further rollout of the protocol but there are some complex issues to be overcome and any expansion will require additional resources and funding.
Barnahus model for Northern Ireland
The Barnahus model is a concept that offers a child-friendly approach to sexual crime where law enforcement, criminal justice, child protective services, and medical and mental health workers cooperate in a ‘joined up’ approach to ensure the best support for child victims.
A cross-departmental Barnahus Working Group jointly led by the Department for Health (DoH) and Department of Justice (DoJ) is leading work to identify potential models and costed options for Barnahus model for NI. We hope to present the outcome of these considerations, including a preferred option, to Ministers in the autumn of 2025.