Ms Helen Shortt:

I thank the Chairperson and members for the invitation to meet the joint committee to discuss the review of the Barnahus model for young people who have experienced child sexual abuse. I am joined by my colleagues Fiona Murphy, interim chief executive, and Stephen Flanagan, acting deputy chief executive, Children’s Health Ireland, and I am presenting this opening statement on behalf of both the HSE and CHI.

The HSE and CHI are two of the agencies involved in the multiagency approach to implementing the Barnahus model of child sexual abuse services. Specifically, the HSE provides medical and forensic medical services within Barnahus for children under the age of 14. As each of the Barnahus services is set up, medical and forensic medical services for children provided by the HSE and CHI will move into the Barnahus but will continue to be managed by the respective agencies. HSE paediatric medical and forensic medical services have moved into Barnahus West, Galway, and are fully embedded in the multiagency approach.

Paediatric medical and forensic medical services in the south have been strengthened by the appointment of two additional consultant paediatricians-forensic examiners at Cork University Hospital, CUH, who provide medical and forensic services at the children’s forensic examination suite at St. Finbarr’s Hospital. Services in Galway and Dublin also each received two additional consultant paediatricians-forensic examiners as part of the 2022 service developments, and each of the three services also received two additional clinical nurse specialists.

Sexual assault treatment units provide forensic examination for children older than 14. The Galway SATU is co-located with Barnahus West, and this co-location ensures children of all ages access child welfare, trauma-informed therapy and medical and forensic examination in one place, as envisaged by the Barnahus model. It is planned SATUs will be co-located with both Barnahus South and Barnahus East. In the south, the Cork SATU is located at South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital and, as part of changes agreed in late 2023, also provides a joint nursing service for the forensic examination of children and adults. In late April 2024, Barnahus South commenced operating as a virtual service. This required the co-operation of CUH and the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, working closely with Tusla and An Garda Síochána, with support from the HSE. It is envisaged Barnahus South will operate as a virtual service until a purpose-fitted-out and refurbished building on the St. Mary’s hospital, Cork, campus has been approved and completed. Support for the building is a joint initiative of the HSE and Tusla.

The Barnahus model includes the delivery of a trauma-informed approach to therapy within the Barnahus. Tusla will deliver this therapy in Barnahus West and South. Recently, CHI has confirmed it can provide accommodation that will enable the commencement of Barnahus East. The CHI space is not large enough, however, to also accommodate a SATU and, as a result, it is envisaged the Rotunda SATU will participate in multidisciplinary team meetings with Barnahus East on a virtual basis, pending the availability of a building that can accommodate all the services. The HSE is working with its capital and estates division to determine the location of a building for Barnahus East that will accommodate all the services.

As part of the HSE’s participation in the multiagency approach to implementing the Barnahus model, it has participated in the development of various joint documents to guide the development of Barnahus, as well as in the joint European Union-Council of Europe project for the implementation of Barnahus in Ireland. CHI is a member of the Barnahus national agency steering committee and is one of the agencies identified to deliver the Barnahus model in Ireland. At present, CHI provides paediatric medical and forensic medical services and therapy for children. CHI will take the lead on planning and setting up the interim Barnahus East service, working collaboratively with the other agencies to ensure alignment with the national model. Services in CHI will transition into the Barnahus model as planning for Barnahus East progresses.