HM The Queen's speech at the seminar Barnahus model in Poland, Sweden and Europe in connection with state visit in Poland

I am honoured to be here today at this important seminar to address issues that, regrettably, remain both urgent and of great significance to us all.

My first encounter with a Barnahus took place during a state visit to Iceland in 2004. I still remember the moment I stepped inside. The atmosphere was calm and reassuring. I saw a place where the needs of the child were truly at the centre.

In that moment, I understood something fundamental: a child who has suffered sexual abuse should never have to recount and relive those traumatic experiences over and over again. He or she should be interviewed only once by a specially trained professional. In this way, the process is shaped around the child’s need. That insight never left me. It became a guiding conviction and ultimately led to the introduction of the Barnahus model in Sweden.

The journey was not easy. It required political determination and above all, trust between institutions and a willingness to re-think established structures. Police, prosecutors, social services, health care professionals and child protection specialists came together with a single purpose: to provide the best possible support for every child. This cooperation is not a finished achievement but a process of learning and improving, translating children’s rights into daily practice and strengthening collaboration at every level.

Today, twenty-two years later, Sweden has more than 30 Barnahus centres across the country, and the work continues to evolve. We are guided by a shared responsibility to ensure that children who have experienced sexual abuse are protected, empowered and able to move forward in safety and dignity.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I visited the Warsaw Barnahus two and a half years ago, and I am truly encouraged to witness the steady growth of a national network of Barnahus centres across Poland.

Tomorrow, I will have the privilege of visiting a Barnahus in Gdansk. I look forward to once again experiencing a place where cooperation becomes reality, where professional expertise is brought together under one roof, where a child can speak without fear, and where recovery can begin in an atmosphere of trust.

It is deeply encouraging to see how the Barnahus model has spread and become a proven European approach. Each country must find its own path and its own way of organising this work, but the core principle remains the same: placing the child at the centre and ensuring that all necessary actors work together in a child-friendly environment. Because in the end, children’s needs are universal. They need to be seen, to be heard and to be believed.

When support is coordinated in one safe place, healing can begin sooner, repeated traumatisation can be prevented and justice is strengthened. It also deepens professional understanding of these complex situations and reminds us that investing in children is both a moral responsibility and a wise, sustainable choice for society.

We know that meaningful change always begins with someone taking the first step – someone who dares to believe that change is possible and shows what it means for the life of a child. Here in Poland, Empowering Children Foundation, co-hosts of this event, has helped pave the way, in close cooperation with my organisation World Childhood Foundation, the Polish Government and other international partners.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In an ideal world, no child would ever need to come to a Barnahus. Sadly, that is not the world we live in. But when a child receives the right support, the path back to strength and hope becomes shorter. Every one of you has an essential role in this work. You can be the ones who lead the way.

The state visit to Iceland over 20 years ago marked the beginning of an important journey. I sincerely hope this state visit will help reaffirm support at the highest level for a model that gives children the best possible conditions to heal, regain strength and move forward in life.

Because every child deserves justice. And every child deserves a future filled with hope.

Thank you.