Not everyone grows up under safe and adequate conditions. For those who do not, there is an increased risk of continuing to find oneself in situations of vulnerability later on in life.
Different services within the Norwegian welfare apparatus have a responsibility for identifying and assisting children and young people at risk. These complex tasks demand a high level of updated knowledge on the services as well as on the circumstances of children and families in need of assistance. Our research provides such knowledge.
We direct attention to the welfare services’ and judiciary system’s relevance to the rights and needs of children, as well as to a diversity of family expectations and environments. Our research topics include the child welfare services, children and families from minority and majority backgrounds, children with disabilities, and circumstances of domestic violence.
Head of research group
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Members
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Projects
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Child Welfare Services and Risk Assessment
The project investigates how the child welfare services work on risk assessment and safety measures when a child is placed outside the home.
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The domestic violence research programme
The programme studies time trends in the prevalence of violence and assault, violence as phenomenon, and how violence is approached by the welfare- and justice systems.
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Evaluation of Ritual Circumcision of Boys (RITOM)
This evaluation shall produce research-based knowledge on whether the Norwegian law on ritual circumcision of boys functions according to its purpose.
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Against All Odds?
Why do some care leavers end up doing well as young adults, against all odds? What does "doing well" mean to young women and men, with majority backgrounds? These are questions we seek to investigate in this project.
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Child Welfare Services and Risk Assessment
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Selected publications
- Gundersen, T. (2021). Embedded in relations—Interactions as a source of agency and life opportunities for care-experienced young adults. Children & Society (onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- Hansen, M., Stefansen, K. & Skilbrei, M-L. (2020). Non-reporting of sexual violence as action: acts, selves, futures in the making. Nordic Journal of Criminology (tandfoline.com)
- Heinskou, M.B., Skilbrei, M-L. & Stefansen, K. (2019). Rape in the Nordic Countries (crcpress.com). Routledge
- Neumann, C.E.B.; Gundersen, T. (2018). Care parading as service: Negotiating recognition and equality in user-controlled personal assistance (onlinelibrary.wiley.com). Gender, Work & Organization
- Dæhlen, M.; Rugkåsa, M. (2018). Early school leaving in the care population – Differences by county of origin. Child & Family Social Work
- Falch-Eriksen, A. & E. Backe-Hansen (red.) (2018). Human Rights in Child Protection. Implications for Professional Practice and Policy (onlinelibrary.wiley.com). Springer
- Johansson, S., Stefansen, K., Bakketeig, E., Kaldal, A. (red.) (2017) Collaborating Against Child Abuse Exploring the Nordic Barnahus Model (palgrave.com). Palgrave Macmillan
More publications are listed at the researcher's employee pages.