Field of work
I have an M.Phil. degree in Administration and Organisation Theory and a Dr. philos from Department of Health Promotion and Development at the University of Bergen (UiB). My doctoral degree was a study of the social reintegration of former girl soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, entitled A troublesome transition: Social reintegration of girl soldiers returning ‘home’.
I have previous experience as a researcher at NORCE Research Samfunn (2017-2019), at UiB (2015-2017) and at Centre for Intercultural Communication (2008-2014), and have since January 2020 held a secondary position at NORCE.
My research has to a large extent focues on children and youth who are or have been exposed to war, violence, abuse and neglect. I am the project manager of Home and (dis)continuity: Foster care for children with migrant backgrounds (HoMi)', which is funded by the Norwegian Research Council from 2020-2025. I'm also involved in 'Relational wellbeing in the lives of refugee young people in Finland, Norway and the UK (Drawing together)', a research project led by Prof. Ravi Kohli at the University of Bedfordshire and funded by NordForsk.
To learn more about my ongoing projects:
HoMi: https://app.cristin.no/projects/show.jsf?id=2473988
Drawing together: https://app.cristin.no/projects/show.jsf?id=2136209
Courses taught
- Social work
- Child welfare
Research areas
- Child welfare
- Child soldiers
- Social reintegration
- Refugees and relational wellbeing
- Foster care
- Children and migration
- Decision making
Research groups
- BARN210, Working with Interventions in Child Welfare Service, Fall 2025
- MAMET1SO, Philosophy of Science, Ethics and Research Methods, Spring 2026, subject responsible
- MASB520, Different Perspectives on the Child Welfare Service's Subjects and Professional Practice, Spring 2026
- MASO500, Social Inequality and Marginalistion, Spring 2026
- MASO591, Master's Thesis, Fall 2025
- MASO591, Master's Thesis, Spring 2026
- PHDH909, Health, Function and Participation, Fall 2025
Research groups
Publications
-
Navigating Family Relationships and a Sense of Home in Foster Care: The Experiences of Children With Migration Backgrounds
-
The significance of religion when matching children with migrant background and foster carers − child welfare workers’ perspectives
-
‘To Feel at Home Is to Feel Safe’: Unaccompanied Refugee Minors (Re)Creating a Sense of Home in Foster Care over Time
-
Significant Considerations When Matching Foster Families and Children With Migrant Backgrounds: Reflections of Social Workers in Norway and Sweden
-
Kontinuitet og kulturelle hensyn i valg av fosterhjem til barn med migrasjonsbakgrunn
-
Relational and cultural continuity for children in foster care; A critical exploration of national policies in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, England, Ireland and Scotland
-
Navigating contact with family of origin and the sense of home: Exploring the experiences of children with migration backgrounds in foster care
-
Narratives of Symbolic Objects: Exploring Relational Wellbeing of Young Refugees Living in Scotland, Finland, and Norway
-
«Redde for å miste, redde for å kreve, redde for å være vanskelige»: Relasjonen mellom barneverntjenesten og slektsfosterhjem
-
“We felt completely left to ourselves.” Foster parents' views on placement disruption.
-
Improving decision-making in care order proceedings: A multijurisdictional study of court decision-makers' viewpoints
-
Repair, stigmatisation or tolerance? Former girl soldiers' experience of their 'homecoming'
-
The role and function of spokesperson in care order proceedings: A cross-country study in Finland and Norway
-
Deliberative decision-making on the Norwegian County Social Welfare Board The experiences of expert and lay members
-
Improving the care order decision-making processes: viewpoints of child welfare workers in four countries
-
Genuine social inclusion or superficial co-existence? Former girl soldiers in eastern Congo returning home
-
Reintegrering av tidligere barnesoldater: Fra teori til praksis
-
"Who will comfort me?" : stigmatization of girls formerly associated with armed forces and groups in eastern Congo