Councillors,
including Education and Children’s Services convener Councillor Martin Greig
and vice-convener, Councillor Jessica Mennie visited the location of Aberdeen’s
first Bairns’ Hoose test site yesterday following the city’s successful bid to
be a Scottish Government Pathfinder.
The
site at the Links Nursery and Hub on Regent Walk is one of only six locations to become
Scotland’s first Bairns’ Hoose test sites which will bring together different
disciplines in supporting children and young people who are victims of, or
witnesses to, abuse.
Councillor
Martin Greig, Convener of the Education and Children’s Services committee,
Aberdeen City Council, said: “It was important to come along today and gain
some insight as to how our innovative Bairns’ Hoose might look in practice.
“This is a transformative project that will help vulnerable
children and young people through the trauma of abuse via protection, recovery,
healthcare, therapeutic support and justice.
Councillor
Jessica Mennie, Vice-Convener of the Education and Children’s Services
committee, said: “We have secured initial funding of almost £300,000 from the
Scottish Government following our successful application to bring a
Bairns’ Hoose to Aberdeen.
“This site will
play a crucial role in supporting children and young people who have faced
abuse and helping build resilience in them, their families and
carers.”
Aberdeen,
Aberdeenshire, Fife, North Strathclyde, the Outer Hebrides and Tayside will
become local Pathfinder Partnerships, sharing a £6million Scottish Government
fund to connect services across the justice system.
A bid for
further funding for 2024/25 will be submitted by the council and its partners
in the coming weeks.
Aberdeen City
Council, NHS Grampian, Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership, Police
Scotland, the Third Sector and other partners will deliver the project, drawing
on existing resources.
The results of
the pathfinder phase will inform the development of a national ‘Bairns’ Hoose
Blueprint’ and provide the basis for a full pilot in 2025.
Further
information on Bairns’ Hoose.