Guidance

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Resources

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Guidance for Children and Young People

Advice about sexting

Sexting is when you send or receive a message, photo or video that has sexual content in it. This might be words, pictures, or videos, including nude pictures or videos.

Barnardos Heart, Body, and Mind

Mindfulness and Wellbeing activities during times of stress or worry.

Changing Futures

Website for young people made by young people with experience of Tusla services.

Child Ombudsman

Human rights institution and work to protect the rights of children and young people in Ireland.

Childline

Childline is a free, private and confidential service where you can talk about anything.

Children’s Rights Alliance

Changing the lives of all children in Ireland by making sure their rights are respected and protected in our laws, policies and services

SpunOut.ie

Spunout is Ireland’s youth information and support platform, working towards an Ireland where all young people are supported and empowered to thrive.

Stop IT Now UK/Ireland:

This site has a prevention aspect for those, including young people, who may self-identify a sexual interest in children and contains very useful resources.

Talk Pants With Pantosaurus

NSPCC: Learn All About Pants with Pantosaurus!

Talk PANTS with Pantosaurus and his PANTS song

Video/Song: Meet Pantosaurus – our pant-wearing Dino! He wants every child to stay safe and strong, just like him, and he’s on a mission to share an important message

What Happened to Elephant

A story of help and hope for children and their families

What Happened to LJ

A story of help and hope for children and their families

Guidance for Parent or Caregivers

About The Brook Traffic Light Tool

The tool categorises sexual behaviours into green, orange and red-categories and gives examples for different age groups. This helps you to make consistent and informed decisions and have meaningful conversations about appropriate sexual behaviours.

ASSC.ie – Accompaniment Support Services for Children

A.S.S.C. provides support for all young people and their families as they navigate their way through the criminal justice system in Ireland.

Barnardos Heart, Body, and Mind

Mindfulness and Wellbeing activities during times of stress or worry.

Child and Adolescent Sexual Assault Treatment Service

Video to help parents/caregivers and children understand what happens if they must go for a medical examination.

Healthy sexuality and relationship development

The education and support needs of children and young people in care.

Hotline.ie

This site helps remove indecent images online.

Online Safety

Children and young people can be vulnerable to sexual abuse and inappropriate content in the online world.

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse

Guide for parents and caregivers of children and young people who have experienced sexual abuse.

Rape Crisis – Ireland

Rape Crisis Ireland (RCI) is a specialist information and resource centre on rape and all forms of sexual violence.

Relationships and Sexuality Education Resources for professionals and parents

“Busy Bodies” is a resource designed for young people and provides information on the physical and emotional changes that children may experience during puberty.

Safe Ireland

This site provides support for parents experiencing domestic violence, coercive control, and sexual violence, detailing all types of orders they can access.

Signs and Symptoms of Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse often covers a wide spectrum of abusive activities. It rarely involves just a single incident and usually occurs over a number of years.

Guidance for Professionals

Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse

Guides to responding to inappropriate, problematic and abusive behaviour

Healthy sexuality and relationship development

The education and support needs of children and young people in care. A Toolkit for Practitioners

Signs and Symptoms of Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse often covers a wide spectrum of abusive activities. It rarely involves just a single incident and usually occurs over a number of years.

Definition of Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or arousal, or for that of others.

Barnahus Network

Making justice, protection, and care systems work in the best interests of child victims of violence.

Council of Europe

Supporting the Implementation of Barnahus Ireland

HSElanD Barnahus

An Introduction
Available soon

How to Access Barnahus

Barnahus accepts referrals from the partner agencies involved in Barnahus: Tusla, An Garda Síochána, HSE/SATU (forensic medical services) and Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) (forensic medical services and therapy services).

If any of these agencies become aware of a concern of child sexual abuse, they will talk to the family and refer to Barnahus.

These agencies must also report the concern to Tusla.

The Barnahus Centre Locations Map

Identify your nearest Barnahus Site

Barnahus West Address and Contact Information:

Faustina House, IDA Small Business Centre, Tuam Road, Galway H91 VW84.

We will inform you should our services require visits to other locations across the Barnahus West region.

Barnahus South Address and Contact Information:

Barnahus South is currently located at St. Finbarr's Hospital, Douglas Road, Cork, Ireland, T12 XH60.

We will inform you should our services require visits to other locations across the Barnahus South region.

Barnahus East Address and Contact Information:

Coming soon

Barnahus East will be located predominantly across CHI Tallaght and CHI Connolly in Dublin.

We will inform you should our services require visits to other locations across the Barnahus East region

Video Tour Through Centres

Data Protection Notice

Barnahus is committed to protecting the personal data of children and young people using our services, which is processed to provide integrated support in response to child sexual abuse concerns. The data collected includes identity, family, health and information relating to child sexual abuse, and, if needed, other personal details such as education, professional, legal, or religious and ethnic information, and it may be shared with Tusla, AGS, HSE, CHI and other relevant parties. For more information, visit tusla.ie.

Concerned
About a Child?

If you have a child protection concern, please refer to the Tusla website.

If you or a child is in immediate danger, please call 112 or 999.

This website may contain links to external sites not maintained by Barnahus. We do not guarantee the accuracy of information on these external sites.

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