Features of implementation and development prospects of the «Barnahus» model in Ukraine

The study is dedicated to analyzing the problems and developing recommendations aimed at increasing the efficiency of innovative Ukrainian child protection centers operating under the «Barnahus» model. The methodological foundation of the work is formed by a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach based on the application of the theoretical-analytical method for reviewing scientific publications, statistical and comparative analysis of the dynamics of the center network deployment, as well as systemic-structural analysis and the strategic planning method for classifying challenges and modeling pathways to overcome them. In the course of the study, it was established that despite the positive dynamics of the network’s development (as of mid-2026, 16 «Barnahus» centers are operating in Ukraine, having covered over 1,800 children with procedural actions), the functioning of the institution is accompanied by systemic challenges. Among them, financial instability and dependence on international grants, staff shortages, fragmentation of interagency cooperation due to the lack of unified protocols, legislative barriers to integrating the model into the national legal system, as well as socio-cultural stereotypes that deter the population from timely reporting of violence, were identified. To resolve the outlined problems, the author has substantiated and proposed a set of seven adaptive target programs, which include specialized training courses for specialists based at profile universities, step-by-step algorithms for interagency cooperation, tools for early detection of violence in educational and medical institutions, psychological support measures for families, standardized monitoring mechanisms, as well as legal advocacy and technological integration programs using artificial intelligence for risk analysis. The conclusions emphasize that under wartime conditions, the “Barnahus” model acquires a special humanitarian and ethical significance. The further development of the center network is a critically important step for reforming child justice in Ukraine and requires the consolidated efforts of all parties involved, which entails the normative anchoring of the centers’ status, diversification of funding, digitalization of information exchange, and conducting large-scale educational campaigns among the public.