This new facility, being built on a 400-square-meter plot of land donated by the Baix Ebre Regional Council, next to its headquarters, aims to improve the service that has been in operation for two years. Since its launch, the Tortosa center has already handled nearly 200 cases of minors who are direct or indirect victims of violence or sexual abuse.
The Barnahus model, imported from Iceland, centralizes care and support for children and young people, as well as their families, in a single space. This facilitates coordination with police and judicial authorities, preventing re-victimization. Currently, Catalonia has fourteen such centers, which have assisted a total of 7,300 minors. Professionals from social rights, police forces, and the Health and Education departments collaborate in these centers.
The Tortosa center was one of the first to implement this model in Catalonia. Initially located in private premises in the Ferreries neighborhood, the availability of Next Generation funds has allowed the Department of Social Rights to plan a new building in a donated space, thus eliminating rental costs.
“"The urgency of the situation meant that, I believe correctly, the service was launched with facilities that, indeed, are not new like these. But we started to attend to these 200 young people. The important thing is the care."
The architectural design of the new center seeks to provide an environment of "calm, privacy, and trust." It will include three treatment and care rooms, a group care room, a room for judicial exploration with its corresponding viewing room, a medical examination room, two waiting rooms, a common workspace, a meeting room, a multipurpose office, a pantry, and additional bathrooms. The current team at the provisional Tortosa center consists of psychologists, social workers, administrative staff, and a coordinator, supported by forensic teams and other professionals when needed.
“"an example of collaboration between administrations that allows us to add, multiply, and put people at the center, because precisely this integrated care means being able to attend to these girls, adolescents, and their families, to be able to accompany them when they have suffered these cases, unfortunately, of sexual violence that we know still exist."
Additionally, the president of the Baix Ebre Council has announced that the entity plans to build, also by 2027 and next to the new Barnahus, a building called 'La Caseta', dedicated to supporting and monitoring families in need.
