Family, upbringing, and education are fundamental arenas for the development of children and young people. We research how environments, public services, and policies can contribute to good conditions for growing up and promote well-being, learning, and social inclusion.
The family is the child’s first and most important arena for development. Research on family relationships includes topics such as parenting, relationships, child welfare, preventive programs, and public support schemes. We place particular emphasis on how public services can support families in vulnerable life situations and contribute to safe and stable conditions for upbringing. One example is follow-up research on the family support program “Foreldrekompasset,” which provides valuable knowledge about the effects of such measures.
Research on education focuses on how schools and kindergartens can promote learning, well-being, and social inclusion. Key topics include the school environment, special education measures, and students’ experiences of transitions between educational levels. In addition, we examine the implementation of the school reform LK20, focusing on how schools integrate core elements such as interdisciplinary topics and deep learning in practice.
Upbringing research examines how children and young people are influenced by family, local communities, leisure activities, and public services. Early intervention, interdisciplinary collaboration, and preventive work are central themes. The research also explores how inequalities in living conditions and life situations can affect children’s development and opportunities. An important contribution in this field is analyses of the Ungdata survey, which provides insight into young people’s everyday lives and living conditions.