Eleven new research projects on the inclusion of children and young people

"It has been a tough prioritisation process across a pool of applications with great thematic and academic breadth and consistently high quality," says Christer Hyggen, who leads the initiative.

The final portfolio of the initiative Inclusion of More Children and Young People now encompasses research on key arenas in the lives of children and young people, including early childhood education, school, transitions in education, health and welfare services, the legal system, and digital media.

The projects examine both factors that can create exclusion — such as school absence, vulnerable transitions, social inequality, and lack of access to services — as well as factors that can promote participation and inclusion, such as a sense of belonging, rights, and coping.

"We believe that this portfolio helps to strengthen the knowledge base for more inclusive practices and services, whilst also building interdisciplinary research collaboration and laying the groundwork for further external funding within the thematic area of the initiative."

The projects contribute to the overarching goal of developing OsloMet as a research university and to the broader societal mission of "no children or young people left behind".

The following projects have received funding:

1. SAFE – Interprofessional Collaboration and Pupil Involvement in Absence Cases (project leader: Guri Skedsmo, LUI)
2. SMILE-P – School Motivation, Inclusion, Learning and Enjoyment (project leader: Silje Hølland, LUI)
3. Transitions After Upper Secondary Vocational Education (project leader: Marianne Dæhlen, LUI)
4. TRANSIT – Transitions in Early Childhood Education (project leader: Natalia Meireles Santos Da Costa, LUI)
5. Inclusive Health Services for Young People (project leader: Malin Lindroth, HV)
6. Pathways to Resilience and Inclusion (project leader: Dawit Shawel Abebe, HV)
7. Knowledge-Based Service Development (project leader: Kjetil Wathne, SAM)
8. Children in Parental Dispute Cases (project leader: Kari Sjøhelle Jevne, SAM)
9. Losing Control of the Scroll (project leader: Jan Malte Runge, SAM)
10. NEGLIEV – The Importance of 'Negative Life Events' (NLE) for Marginalisation Among Young Adults (project leader: Patrick Lie Andersen, SVA)
11. Inclusive Digital Futures (project leader: Dag Slettemeås, SVA)

Further information about the individual projects will follow in due course.