I recognise that some of the ideas we'll discuss are relatively new concepts in the UK, but I believe that they form part of a crucial potential revolution in how we treat children and how we can support children, many of whom will be in a place of abject despair and trauma.

My motion focuses on three primary points: how we can work with police to produce better outcomes as part of the Barnahus model; how we can provide an increase in provision and ensure the multiple levels of support and assessment are in one place; and how we can offer a refuge for children in need. 

The Barnahus model was launched in Iceland in 1998 as a direct response to some of the same problems that we see in many other countries, including our own: conviction rates lower than they should be; children not feeling safe enough or not being supported enough to come forward; children worried about repercussions if they did come forward; children in a place of deep trauma, without the kind of necessary supportive environment absolutely essential to help someone vulnerable in a very dark place to open up. The Barnahus model, or 'child house', as it is translated directly, has been a success story. The services are therapeutic-led, with trained professionals leading a safe environment designed with children in mind. And the Barnahus acts as a one-place suite for services. These include the forensic interview, medical examination and child and family therapy. Witness testimony against an abuser can also be given without the need for a victim to give multiple testimonies in multiple settings.

Many victims of child sex abuse often do not have a particularly good view of statutory services and, in some cases, do not have the best direct experiences either. Many child sex abuse victims have not been a victim of just one kind of abuse. A lot of children will also have potentially fallen into difficulties with authorities for varied reasons, often related to the abuses they have suffered, and will not have confidence or ease in talking to police or authorities. 

When a victim does come forward, it's more common than not that, under the current system, prosecution will not be successful. There are regular instances of evidentiary requirements not being met, and often this is intertwined with children not meeting the common expectations for witnesses. Due to the stress and trauma of the settings in which a child victim is required to give evidence or dropping out of the process at some point after it's started, for myriad reasons, this is not surprising. 

The well-being of a child is also placed in jeopardy, as the re-traumatising effect of multiple interviews across different authorities is poor practice, yet it is an accepted practice. It's one reason why the time taken to bring a charge in CSA cases is significantly longer than for adults. A clinical psychologist-led interview process in one room, where courts can listen and ask questions live, is a better model, and it's supported by authorities across this country, which are encouraging this model to be tried, including the former Home Secretary, Amber Rudd. So, working with the police on this is essential, and this is within our competence. The Children's Commissioner for England, for example, has already teamed up, to trial the model, with some police services in England, and urged each police force area to establish the model by 2016. I think there's little reason why Wales shouldn't or couldn't do the very same. Of course this would require potential investment, and I'm not suggesting that the current model of sexual assault referral centres be scrapped completely in favour of something brand new. That's not what I'm saying here today. The current work of SARCs, in partnership with regional safeguarding boards, could be built upon where they currently work well, or the Barnahus could be established in some areas of the country where there is a significant lack of provision at the moment. And that's something that third sector bodies have raised with me as a result of this legislative proposal being chosen. 

We have to do better here in Wales. I appreciate that policing is not directly devolved, however this system of assessment, support and interviews all under one roof is already available in pilot centres in London, and police and crime commissioners can be worked with on this agenda. In fact, the PCC for north Wales has already expressed to me his willingness to support a similar model here in Wales. 

This is a model that has been successful. It's been applied across the Nordic countries, where substantial improvements have been witnessed. Conviction rates doubled in Iceland, and the time taken to complete assessments and investigations lowered dramatically. This model has been adopted in parts of the US and Canada as child advocacy centres from the 1980s, and there is a movement across Europe for this to be rolled out. So, I personally don't accept the view that this is an idea that would need a substantial level of work to investigate, or adaptations, in order to find a suitable model for Wales. Sometimes it's appropriate to follow international best practice and to do so immediately. Sorry to quote the commissioner for England again, but, I quote:

'Experiences in Sweden, Norway and Denmark demonstrate that the model can be adapted and implemented within the legal framework of another country, without compromising the core principles which deliver such impressive results.' 

So, we wouldn't need to compromise anything we are currently doing.

I was very keen when submitting this motion that it should include a discussion regarding safe houses and refuge accommodation. If a child turns up to a police station or makes an allegation to a teacher regarding a parent, guardian or family member sexually abusing them, then I believe it right that there is a safe space and accommodation available for that child to go to be supported whilst waiting for the statutory process to go into effect or to wait for the appropriate foster care options. At the moment, local authorities have the power to issue emergency care orders and for children to go into foster care, but I don't believe that this should be the only option.

Although there are excellent networks of foster carers across the country who do sterling work in this area, there is also a shortage of foster carers. In 2018 it was noted that Wales faced a shortfall of over 500; across the UK, it was estimated by the Fostering Network that 8,000 were needed to fill the gaps in provision.

When a child is placed in an emergency foster care situation, there is also no guarantee that the family will have specific experience of dealing with children with sexual abuse, although I appreciate that they would hope to be able to deal with that in the most appropriate way. That child would often be placed in a temporary situation, before moving on to a foster carer with, hopefully, more experience with that particular background in mind. But the specialist care and support would not necessarily be available immediately.

Women's Aid has supported the calls for safe houses for children because there is a postcode lottery for children in many cases, and because the specialist support and environment available to a woman who enters a women's refuge are incredibly important. That same supportive and specialist environment should be available to a vulnerable child, even if only as a short-term option.

As I said earlier, the petition calling for child houses in Wales was brought by a Swansea constituent of mine, Mayameen Meftahi, who herself suffered from abuse and ran away from home but was returned to an abusive household—that's something that she never wants to see happen to anybody else. She has called for child safe houses because the reality of the pressures of the trauma on the child facing up and coming forward with an experience as harrowing as this is absolutely enormous—we can't underestimate the experience that child will have to go through. Will they be believed? Will someone listen to them? Will they face the prospect of having to return home? Will someone in the family convince them to retract that particular allegation? We've seen it happen. We've seen it in the news—we've seen these stories and we don't want to see them again.

The option of a refuge setting, where a child can get support to deal with these issues and decisions, is an option worth investigating. Let's not forget that there are big decisions and a very big process forced onto the shoulders of a very vulnerable child. I'm prepared to listen to the Government and other Members on the practicalities of setting up options such as this, and to what extent joint working across statutory agencies and appropriate third sector partners could mean. I'm encouraged by the Welsh children's commissioner's words that she would welcome engagement on how best to approach the setting up of a safe space or refuge, and how that could work. I know that there is a piece of work under way at the moment into this particular model in London—it's called the Lighthouse project. But even though that review is underway, that doesn't stop us from adopting it here—it has been working successfully there so far.

Just to finish, I would genuinely encourage the Government to support this motion today as part of a wider suite of ways to reform the system for the better. We know that this is a very sensitive area, but we also know that those who have experienced abuse are sometimes best placed to tell us what needs to happen, and in this case I think that's right.