Barnahus (derived from the Icelandic word for "children's house") is a child-friendly, multidisciplinary and interagency model for responding to child violence and witnesses of violence. The purpose of Barnahus is to offer each child a coordinated and effective child protection and criminal justice response, and to prevent traumatisation and retraumatisation during investigation and court proceedings. While the local name may differ, the model as implemented in Europe has become widely known in English as Barnahus.