Since 2018, the World Childhood Foundation has been initiating and supporting the development and establishment of Childhood Houses (CHHs) in Germany – inspired by the successful implementation of the Barnahus model in the Nordic countries. Childhood Houses are outpatient centres where professionals from a range of fields – including social work, psychology, paediatrics, gynaecology, forensic medicine, law enforcement, and child protection services – work together. Their aim is to provide the best possible support, care, and guidance to children and young people suspected of having experienced violence. The work of currently 11 established Childhood Houses and the ongoing planning of additional locations highlight the dynamic growth of this model. However, given the relatively recent implementation of the Barnahus model in Germany, there is still a lack of comprehensive research into its diffusion, implementation, challenges, and potential within the German context.

The EvaChild research project is dedicated to evaluating the multidisciplinary and inter-agency approach adopted in Childhood Houses across Germany. The overarching aim of our study is to understand the logics, practices, and impacts of multidisciplinary and inter-agency collaboration within CHHs. This evaluation seeks to gain deeper insight into the institutional and relational dynamics of CHHs, including site-specific working practices, interactions, and the lived experiences of the professionals involved.

Our evaluation adopts an ethnographic-participatory approach, which allows for a nuanced understanding of the complex logics, implementations, and effects of CHHs, as well as the practical actions of those working within and with the Childhood Houses. We combine ethnographic fieldwork – including participant observation, (in)formal interviews, focus group discussions, and the analysis of material artefacts – with quantitative data, including routinely collected CHH data. A central concern of our study is to treat the involved actors as co-researchers whose perspectives, interpretations, and reflections actively inform the research process. The participatory research design enables a meaningful inclusion of diverse perspectives and values, fostering a collaborative dynamic between researchers and practitioners throughout the study.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first ethnographic-participatory study in the field of multidisciplinary and inter-agency child protection work in Germany. Our evaluation will provide in-depth insights into the complex processes of implementation and further development of CHHs. This knowledge is of particular relevance as it may not only serve as a foundation for future CHHs but also contribute to the reflection and evolution of the Barnahus model – a model that should not be seen as a rigid blueprint, but rather as an evolving practice continuously shaped through negotiation and experience.