Cork, Ireland 17-18 June 2026.
A two-day Train-the-Trainer programme was delivered from 17 to 18 June 2026 in Cork, Ireland, to equip experienced practitioners involved in the response to child sexual abuse through Barnahus in Ireland to train their peers in trauma-informed care.
The programme has resulted in the establishment of a network of ten trainers, including police officer from An Garda Síochána, medical professionals and therapists from the Health Service Executive, and Children’s Health Ireland, and social workers from Tusla – Child and Family Agency, enabling the wider rollout of peer-led training. The training programme reinforces a shared multidisciplinary and interagency approach, promotes a child rights-based and participatory response, and embeds trauma-informed practices throughout the Barnahus care pathway. Ultimately, this activity will support more effective case handling and improve children’s access to justice and support services.
Participants had previously completed the pilot Foundation (April 2025) and Advanced (December 2025) modules of the trauma-informed care training. Training materials were refined using feedback from both pilots to improve clarity, relevance and practical application.
This training was delivered under the European Union–Council of Europe Joint Project “Support the implementation of the Barnahus project in Ireland” (Phase II), which supports Irish authorities in setting up three Barnahus sites (Galway, Cork and Dublin), through the development of key interagency tools, the provision of tailored staff training and awareness-raising of the model.
The project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission.
