Safe Adults – Safer Children

With targeted training and support for the adults closest to children, the organisation Barnens rätt i samhället (Bris – Children’s Rights in Society) aims to prevent social exclusion and mental health challenges among children and youth in Sweden.

The non-profit child rights organisation Bris was founded in 1971 and today works in several ways to support children and advocate for their rights. With its new initiative, Safe Adults – Safer Children, the organisation aims to strengthen the competence of both parents and professionals working with children – such as preschool staff, teachers, and social workers – on key issues affecting young people.

The Child’s Protective Network

The project was developed in response to the fact that many children and young people live in vulnerable circumstances, with mental health difficulties, unstable home lives, and weakened hope for the future. The goal is to ensure that the adults around them function as a protective network, capable of more easily identifying, understanding, and responding when children are at risk.

Kavli Trust is supporting the project with NOK 6.6 million over the period 2025–2027. The funding will go towards developing and distributing six digital training programmes for adults. Bris has already piloted online training for preschool staff with strong results, and these experiences will now be used to expand the programme to additional target groups.

Bris will also further develop its Adult Helpline (BVT), a support line for parents and professionals who are worried about a child or have questions related to children’s wellbeing. The most common issues addressed in calls to the helpline include violence and abuse, family conflict, divorced parents, mental health, schooling, and concerns related to a child’s professional support network. Bris also plans to enhance communication and outreach related to the helpline service.

“Thanks to Kavli Trust, we can help strengthen the safety net around children,” says Maria Frisk, Executive Director of Bris.

“This project will be a key part of our work to support adults in recognising children who are – or are at risk of becoming – vulnerable. When adults in a child’s life are equipped with the right tools and support, the likelihood of identifying and helping children who are unable to seek help themselves increases significantly,” says Frisk.

Broad Impact

Bris’ experience shows that many adults lack the knowledge or tools needed to act as a buffer that prevents negative developmental outcomes in children and youth. By strengthening and scaling low-threshold services such as the Adult Helpline and the digital training programmes, the project is expected to reach a broad spectrum of professionals and caregivers.

“By empowering the adults around children, we help build safer, more supportive environments for children and youth to grow up in. That is a critical and highly impactful area to invest in,” says Ingrid Paasche, CEO of Kavli Trust.

Previous Collaboration Builds Trust

This is not the first time Kavli Trust has supported Bris. In 2022, the foundation awarded NOK 3 million to the project "Kraftsamling för barn som flyr", which focused on supporting children and families fleeing from Ukraine.

“Bris is a strong and experienced partner, and we’ve had a very positive collaboration with them. We are proud to support another important project led by Bris and have full confidence in their ability to deliver on this new initiative,” says Paasche.

About Bris and the Project Safe Adults – Safer Children

• Bris (Barnens rätt i samhället – Children’s Rights in Society) is a non-profit association founded in 1971. The organisation works in multiple ways to strengthen and advocate for children’s rights.
• Bris provides direct support to children through national helplines, chat services, and in-person meeting spaces, and indirect support through education and strengthening of the adults around them.
• Safe Adults – Safer Children is a new Bris initiative that aims to empower adults in their role as a protective network for children.
• The goal is to prevent mental health issues and social exclusion among children and youth by increasing the competence of parents and professionals and improving access to support services.
• Kavli Trust is supporting the project with NOK 6.6 million over the period 2025–2027.
• The funding will go towards the development and dissemination of six digital training programmes for parents, teachers, preschool staff, and social workers.
• Bris will also further develop their Adult Helpline, both methodologically and technically, and improve outreach and communication about the service.
• Kavli Trust previously collaborated with Bris through the 2022 project "Kraftsamling för barn som flyr", which provided support to children and families fleeing the war in Ukraine.