Skivenes is recognised as a leading expert in the field of child protection systems, with numerous publications in well-regarded journals. She is also a popular lecturer and a widely used expert by the media. Skivenes is the Head of the Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism, and the Principal Investigator of several international research projects. Skivenes headed the commission for the Official Norwegian Report on improved quality and legal protection in child protection (2021-2023).

Contact

If you wish to be affiliated with the research centre, please contact prof. Skivenes. Other inquiries should be directed to Barbara Ruiken. Students who would like supervision, discuss the discipline, or be affiliated with one of the research projects, are very welcome to contact prof. Skivenes via email.

• Follow Marit Skivenes on Academia, ResearchGate and LinkedIn. 

Biography

Skivenes completed her PhD in Political Science at the University of Bergen in 2002. Post PhD, she worked two years as a researcher at the research institute "Fafo" in Oslo.

Later she spent three years at the Centre for Child Welfare at the Faculty of Psychology (UiB), as associate professor and head of the Centre. She then continued to work three years at the Department of Social Education at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL), first as associate professor and later as a professor.

Marit Skivenes is a professor at the Department of Government (University of Bergen), appointed in 2012.

Research interests

Theoretical focus:

• Argumentation Theory - Deliberative Democracy - Discretion and decision-making in Organizations - Freedom of Speech - Paternalism and Welfare - Political Theory - Quality of Public Administration.

Empirical research themes: 

• Access to public information, Children's Interests, Child Protection Systems, Child Rights, Decision-Making Proceedings,  Migration, Public Debate, Public Policy formation, Transparency, Welfare State Systems, Whistle-Blowing, Wrongdoing in Organizations.

Please examine professor Skivenes projects and publications for elaborations about her research.

Awards and grants 

Marit Skivenes was awarded the prestigous ERC Consolidator Grant in 2016 for her research project DISCRETION. Read more about this here.

Marit Skivenes and Katrin Kriz were awarded the ISW prize for best article published in 2015 with the article "Challenges for marginalized minority parents in different welfare systems: Child welfare workers’ perspectives".

 

Skivenes and colleagues present research in blogposts and some of Skivenes´s blogposts are also in Norwegian.

Recent Commentaries in Media

• Skivenes M. (2019). Child protection and child centrism – the Grand Chamber case of Strand Lobben and others v. Norway 2019. Strasbourg Observers, 11 October 2019.
• Skivenes, M. og Helland, H. (2019). Barns rett til familieliv ("Children's right to family life", in Norwegian). Dagbladet, 23 February 2019.
• Skivenes, M. (2018). Hvem har mest innflytelse - Solberg eller NAV-konsulenten? ("Who has the most influence - the Prime Minister or the welfare officer", in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende, 5 June 2018.
• Skivenes M. og McEwan-Strand A. (2018). A Child-Centred Court of Human Rights? Strand Lobben v. Norway. Strasbourg Observers, 3 January 2018.
• Skivenes, M. (2016). Rettigheter som utfordrer. ("Rights that challenge", in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende, December 1 2016

Marit Skivenes does also regularly publish blog posts at discretion.uib.no

Recent media coverage

• Erfaren forsker skal lede ny barnevernsutredning. (Experienced researcher to lead new Official Norwegian Report on child protection) Kommunal rapport, 30. March 2021.
• Barnevernet ber sjeldnere om å ta over omsorgen for barn med tvang. (Child protection services ask less frequently for compulsory care orders) Bergens Tidende, 16. October 2020.
• Ny forskning: Avslører nye lovbrudd. (New research: reveals new violations of the law) Dagbladet, 15. September 2020.
• Advarer mot inspirasjon fra Norge. (Warning against inspiration from Norway) Dagen, 23. May 2020.
• Professor: – Norsk barnevern er i front med barns rettigheter. Det kan virke som om vi har fått svi for det. (Professor: - Norwegian child welfare is at the forefront in terms of children´s rights. It seems like we are paying the price for this”, in Norwegian. Aftenposten / Bergens Tidende, 25 November 2019.
• De har vært fosterforeldrene til Nora (7) siden hun var ett år. Deres største ønske er å få adoptere henne. Men retten sier nei. (They have been foster parents to Nora (7) since she was 1 years old. Their greatest wish is to adopt her. But the court says no, in Norwegian). Aftenposten, 18 May 2019.
• Adopsjon gir bedre levevilkår (Adoption provides better living conditions, in Norwegian). Forskning.no, 9 February 2019.
• Too few Norwegian children under protection adopted by foster parents: report. Xinhua News, 6.februar 2019.
• Rundt 50 barn i året adopteres av fosterforeldre. Det er altfor få, ifølge ny rapport (Around 50 children are adopted by their foster parents each year. The number is much too low, according to new report, in Norwegian). Aftenposten, 5 February 2019.
• Hva skal til for at barnevernet tar et nyfødt barn fra mor? (What are the requirements for the child protection services to remove a newborn child from its mother?, in Norwegian). Forskning.no, 7 February 2018.
• Fikk 18 millioner kroner i stipend (Received 18 million norwegian kroner in scholarship, in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende, 15 December 2016. 

Keynote speaker (selected)

• Keynote speaker at the 15th International EUSARF Conference “All Children, All Families. Promoting Excellence in Child Welfare Research, Policy and Practice”. 2018-10-03 – 2018-10-05. Porto, Portugal
• Keynote speaker at the conference “Decision Making in Child and Adult Protection: Discretion and Dialogue“. 2018-05-31 – 2018-06-02. Basel, Switzerland
• «Do we still trust barnevernet - and should we?» UiB Innsikt. 12-09-2020.
• Key note speaker at the 3rd Annual International ERCPAMM Seminar “Research, social policy and action with migrant minors”, Title: «Children across borders: Rights and policies», Melilla, Spain; 2018-04-25 to 2018-04-27.
• Key note speaker at the conference “Unaccompanied minors across borders: Main social and political issues for their protection”. Title: “Discrimination of unaccompanied asylum seeking minors”, Melilla, Spain; 2017-04-25
• Keynote speaker at the 8^th ESFR Conference “Changing Family Relations – Gender and Generations”; 2016-08-31 – 2016-09-03. Dortmund, Germany.
• Keynote speaker at the Nordic Congress on Child Welfare; 2015-08-26 - 2015-08-28. Turku, Finland.

Recent videos

• Er det norske barnevernet i krise?. (Is Norwegian child protection in crisis?) UiB 19. November 2020
• Child protection in Norway - an international perspective. UiB 19. November 2020

For full overview of media contributions, presentations and publications, please visit the Cristin database.

Students who would like supervision, discuss the discipline, or be affiliated with one of the research projects, are very welcome to contact prof. Skivenes via email.

PhD-students under supervision

• Frøydis Lønborg Haarberg, project (UiB): Addressing the ‘how’ of children’s participation
• Mathea Loen, project (UiB): Legitimacy Challenges: Participation in Public Debate
• Irene Aase Kvåle, project (HVL): Priorities in Child Protection and Health Services

Master's students under supervision:

• Astri Kjærmann (UiB)
• Eline Høviskeland Grindvik (UiB)
• Josefine Herlofson Larsen (UiB)
• Ksenia Wiktoria Pietrzyk (UiB)

Courses

• GOV350 Master's thesis in Politics and Public Administration (supervisor)
• GOV323 Qualitative Methods (supervisor)
• GOV216 Constitutions, Courts and Politics
• Effects of Lawfare – Courts and law as battlegrounds for social change
• AORG 907 Introduction to Systematic Review and the use of SR in Social Science
• AORG 350 Master's thesis in Administration and Organization Theory
• AORG 332 Research design
• AORG 325 Discretion and paternalism
• AORG 250 Bachelor’s Thesis (2013 - 2017)
• AORG 104 Political Theory and Democratic Governance (2013 - 2014)
• AORG 100 Introductory Course in Administration and Organization Theory (2013 - 2014)

Lecture

• Skivenes, Marit; Berrick, Jill Duerr; Nabaneh, Satang et al. (2024). Children and the law. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Oppfølging av familier og barn etter omsorgsovertakelse. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Keynote III: The legitimacy of child protection in times of changing environments. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Politisk påvirkningsformer. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Fagdag statsforvalteren. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Barns rett til å bli hørt i beslutninger på samfunnsnivå. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Barnesensitive prosesser og styrking av barn rettigheter – hvor langt har vi kommet, og hva gjenstår?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Bruk og vilkår for systematisk kunnskapsoppsummering i velferdspolitikken. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Norsk barnevern – rettssikkert og legitimt? . (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2024). Dissemination on Participation and Child Protection Systems Across the World. (external link)
• Poso, Tarja; Løvlie, Audun Gabriel; Dik, Tuğba et al. (2023). Structuring Children’s Participation in a Legal Culture. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Barnevernutvalgets rapport og anbefalinger som berører fosterhjem. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Use of knowledge and research in expert committees. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Kunnskapsbehov om barn og unge i utsatte livssituasjoner. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Minoriteter og barnevern. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Safe Childhood, Secure Future” (Skivenes Report on the rule of law and child protection, Norway). (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Legitimitet og tillit i barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Rettssikkerhet og barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Barnevern og rett til familieliv. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Rettssikkerhet i barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Barn og unges rettigheter i barnevernssaker. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Er barnevernet rettssikkert nok?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). NOU 2023:7 Trygg barndom, sikker fremtid . (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Family poverty, parenting behavior, and child welfare involvement: A global comparative analysis. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Legitimacy and normative foundations of child protection systems in six European countries – an analysis of populations’ attitudes and views. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). How can the global typology assist in providing policy and technical support to government wanting to strengthen their child protection systems to be responsive to the needs of its children?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Child Protection and Human Rights. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Book Launch: Oxford Handbook of Child Protection Systems. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Barnevernsutvalget - NOU Trygg barndom, sikker fremtid: Tema og problemstillinger fra rapporten og innspill fra høringsinstanser . (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Hvordan går det egentlig med barnevernet?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Hvordan bidrar de to NOU’ene til å gi nye muligheter for barnevernet?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). Barneperspektivet i barnevernforskningen - vet vi nok om hvordan tiltakene virker for barna og tjenestene? Hva vet vi for lite om?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Loen, Mathea; Sutherland, Elaine et al. (2022). The International Anti-Liberal Right Versus Barnevernet?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). Rettsikkerhet for barn i barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). Plenumsdebatt om temaet: Hvordan sikre god utvikling av barnevernsinstitusjoner og miljøterapien i lys av nye krav og standardisering?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). Tema: Rettsikkerheten for barn i fosterhjem, er barna og ungdommen godt nok ivaretatt?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Hviding, Edvard; Eldevik, Tor (2022). How to link your project proposal to current and future challenges. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). Digitalt innlegg om NOU-arbeidet. (external link)
• Poso, Tarja; Skivenes, Marit; Thoburn, June et al. (2021). Book Launch «Adoption from Care». (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Children's participation in child protection - current knowledge and knowledge gaps.. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). The global typology of child protection systems. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Barlow, Jane (2021). Assessment and intervention at an individual level: innovative ways of assessing, engaging and supporting pregnant and newly delivered women whose infants are at risk of harm. (external link)
• Cappelen, Alexander Wright; Bartling, Björn; Hermes, Henning et al. (2021). Free to Fail? Paternalistic Preferences in the United States. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Children’s Right to Participation. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene (2020). Norsk barnevern vurdert i forhold til andre lands systemer. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit (2020). Adopsjon som barneverntiltak - Terskler og skjønn. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit (2020). Barns medvirkning – presentasjon av en forstudie og Fjeld-utvalgets hovedfunn. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2019). Rettssikkerhet for barn i barnevernssaker i nemnd og domstol. Hvilke muligheter finnes?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2019). Hvordan kan fagfolk forstå barn og ta et barneperspektiv?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Helland, Hege Beate Stein (2019). Adopsjon som barnevernstiltak – lansering av forskningsrapport.. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit (2019). Adopsjon som barneverntiltak. (external link)
• McEwan-Strand, Amy; Skivenes, Marit (2019). Discretion and decision making: The Child’s Best Interest Principle as a decision making standard. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Luhamaa, Katre (2018). Hva kjennetegner norsk barnevern, og hva skiller Norge fra andre land?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Pösö, Tarja; Sanner, Marit et al. (2018). Changing the system from within: influencing front level practice and politicians’ mindset. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Krutzinna, Jenny; Luhamaa, Katre et al. (2018). Children's Right to Child Friendly Justice. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Beate Stein; Thoburn, June; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2018). The Critique of Child Protection and Children’s Rights . (external link)
• Lipsky, Michael; Skivenes, Marit; Halvorsen, Tor (2018). Reflections on Street-level Bureaucracy. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Child rights and family sensitive social protection.. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Adopsjon til barnets beste. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Tid for barneperspektiver!. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). International Differences in Discretionary Decision-Making. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Roundtable on the future of child and family welfare policy. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Nytenkning om faglighet og bruk av skjønn i barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Workshop for Nordic project. (external link)

Academic article

• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit (2024). Public Rights Orientations and Views on Long-Term Care Options for Children in the Child Protection System: An Analysis of Representative Samples of Adults in California, USA and Norway. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Falch-Eriksen, Asgeir; Hassan, Bilal (2023). Begrensning av familielivet En undersøkelse av borgernes syn på statlige inngrep og foreldres frihet i åtte europeiske land. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Skivenes, Marit; Roscoe, Joseph N. (2023). Public perceptions of child protection, children's rights, and personal values: An assessment of two states. (external link)
• Loen, Mathea; Skivenes, Marit (2023). Legitimate child protection interventions and the dimension of confidence: A comparative analysis of populations views in six European countries. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Skivenes, Marit; Roscoe, Joseph N. (2022). Parental Freedom in the Context of Risk to the Child: Citizens’ Views of Child Protection and the State in the US and Norway. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Pedersen, Siri Hansen; Skivenes, Marit (2022). Comparing population view´s on state responsibility for children in vulnerable situations – the role of institutional context and socio-demographic characteristics. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Benbenishty, Rami (2022). Populations trust in the child protection system: A cross-country comparison of nine high-income jurisdictions. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Benbenishty, Rami (2022). Securing permanence for children in care: A cross-country analysis of citizen's view on adoption versus foster care. (external link)
• Kriz, Katrin; Krutzinna, Jenny; Poso, Tarja et al. (2022). The invisible child. A comparative study of newborn removal judgments from a Child Equality Perspective (cep) . (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Skivenes, Marit; Roscoe, Joseph N. (2021). Children’s rights and parents’ rights: Popular attitudes about when we privilege one over the other. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Exploring populations view on thresholds and reasons for child protection intervention–comparing England, Norway, Poland and Romania. (external link)
• Løvlie, Audun Gabriel; Skivenes, Marit (2021). Justifying interventions in Norwegian child protection - an analysis of cases of violence in migrant and non-migrant families. (external link)
• Luhamaa, Katre; McEwan-Strand, Amy; Ruiken, Barbara et al. (2021). Services and support for mothers and newborn babies in vulnerable situations A study of eight European jurisdictions. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Dickens, Jonathan; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2020). Are child protection workers and judges in alignment with citizens when considering interventions into a family? A cross-country study of four jurisdictions. (external link)
• Hestbæk, Anne-Dorthe; Ingrid, Höjer; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2020). Child welfare removal of infants: Exploring policies and principles for decision-making in Nordic countries.. (external link)
• Burns, Kenneth; Helland, Hege Beate Stein; Križ, Katrin et al. (2020). Corporal punishment and reporting to child protection authorities: An empirical study of population attitudes in five European countries. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Beate Stein; Pedersen, Siri Hansen; Skivenes, Marit (2020). Adopsjon eller offentlig omsorg? En studie av befolkningens syn på adopsjon som tiltak i barnevernet. (external link)
• McEwan-Strand, Amy; Skivenes, Marit (2020). Children’s Capacities and Role in Matters of Great Significance for Them. (external link)
• Breen, Claire; Krutzinna, Jenny; Luhamaa, Katre et al. (2020). Family life for children in state care. An analysis of the European court of human rights’ reasoning on adoption without consent. (external link)
• Krutzinna, Jenny; Skivenes, Marit (2020). Judging parental competence: A cross‐country analysis of judicial decision makers' written assessment of mothers' parenting capacities in newborn removal cases. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill; Dickens, Jonathan; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2019). Children’s and parents’ involvement in care order proceedings: a cross-national comparison of judicial decision-makers’ views and experiences. (external link)
• Burns, Kenneth; Križ, Katrin; Krutzinna, Jenny et al. (2019). The hidden proceedings - An analysis of accountability of child protection adoption proceedings in eight European jurisdictions. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Dickens, Jonathan; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2018). International Perspectives on Child-responsive Courts. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Tonheim, Milfrid (2018). Improving decision-making in care order proceedings: A multijurisdictional study of court decision-makers' viewpoints. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Dickens, J; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2017). A Cross-Country Comparison of Child Welfare Systems and Workers' Responses to Children Appearing to be at Risk or in Need of Help. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Dickens, Jonathan; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2017). Care order templates as institutional scripts in child protection: A cross-system analysis. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Dickens, Jonathan; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2017). Social Workers and Independent Experts in Child Protection Decision Making: Messages from an Intercountry Comparative Study. (external link)
• Enroos, Rosi; Helland, Hege Beate Stein; Pösö, Tarja et al. (2017). The role and function of spokesperson in care order proceedings: A cross-country study in Finland and Norway. (external link)

Academic lecture

• Salvanes, Kjell Gunnar; Aizer, Anna; Cappelen, Alexander Wright et al. (2023). Allowing Children to Choose: Parenting Style Across Children's Age and Socioeconomic Background. (external link)
• Cappelen, Alexander Wright; Bartling, Björn; Hermes, Henning et al. (2023). Free to fail? Experimental studies of paternalistic preferences. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit (2023). Family Life and Child Protection in the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit; Kriz, Katrin Teresa Maria (2023). ‘Gauging the Child’s Presence and Voice in Adoption Proceedings of Children from Care in Seven European Countries: Applying a Child Equality Perspective’. (external link)
• Krutzinna, Jenny; Skivenes, Marit (2021). Judging parental competence: A cross-country analysis of judicial decision-makers’ assessment of parental capacities in newborn removal cases. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Berrick, Jill Duerr (2021). International comparative attitudes about child protection and the state: Parental freedom in the context of risk to the child. (external link)
• Breen, Claire; Krutzinna, Jenny; Luhamaa, Katre et al. (2021). Family life for children in state care. An analysis of the European Court of Human Rights’ reasoning on adoption without consent. (external link)
• Krutzinna, Jenny; Skivenes, Marit (2021). Discretionary reasoning in child protection. (external link)
• Kriz, Katrin; Krutzinna, Jenny; Poso, Tarja et al. (2021). Decision-making and Participation of Children in the Child Protection System’ - The Invisible Child: The Child’s Perspective in Judicial Decision-Making in Eight European Countries.. (external link)
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Skivenes, Marit (2021). Children’s rights and parents’ rights: Popular attitudes about balanced decision making. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). 2 år etter Strand Lobben-dommen. Hva har skjedd?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Berrick, Jill Duerr (2021). Child Protection Systems: A Global Typology. (external link)
• Løvlie, Audun Gabriel; Skivenes, Marit (2021). Justifying best interest interventions in Norwegian child protection cases on violence in migrant and non-migrant families. (external link)
• Tefre, Øyvind Samnøy; Skivenes, Marit (2021). Errors and Mistakes in Child Protection. International approaches and strategies to strengthen the perspective and rights of the child - Child perspective errors in the Norwegian child protection system. (external link)
• Ruiken, Barbara Victoria; Skivenes, Marit; McEwan-Strand, Amy et al. (2021). Services and support for mothers and newborn babies in vulnerable situations. (external link)
• Bartling, Björn; Cappelen, Alexander Wright; Hermes, Henning et al. (2020). Free to Fail? Paternalistic Preferences in the U.S.. (external link)
• Løvlie, Audun Gabriel; Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene (2019). Justifying the Child’s Best Interest - A Comparison of Court Decisions in Norwegian Child Protection Cases of Violence in Migrant and Non-Migrant Families. (external link)
• Breen, Claire; Krutzinna, Jenny; Luhamaa, Katre et al. (2019). The Child’s Right to Family Life. An analysis of the European Court of Human Rights’ reasoning on adoption without consent. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Kriz, Katrin (2018). Child protection removals of newborns: Policy and practice. (external link)
• Løvlie, Audun Gabriel; Skivenes, Marit (2018). Justifying a child’s best interest - A comparison of court decisions in Norwegian child protection cases of violence in migrant and non-migrant families. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Luhamaa, Katre (2018). European Court of Human Rights Directions on Newborn Removals. (external link)
• Krutzinna, Jenny; Skivenes, Marit (2018). Justifying Removals of Newborn Babies: A Cross-Country Analysis of Judiciary Decision Makers Reasoning of Parental Capacities . (external link)
• Helland, Hege Beate Stein; Skivenes, Marit; Tefre, Øyvind Samnøy (2018). In the Best Interest of the Child – An Analysis of Judgments on Involuntary Adoption in the Norwegian Judicial System. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Children across borders: Rights and policies.. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Pösö, Tarja; Berrick, Jill Duerr et al. (2018). Perceptions of risk, need, and neglect: A cross-country comparison.. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Workshop. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Workshop. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Workshop ERC funded project "DISCRETION". (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Launch of ERC funded project "DISCRETION" at Bergen Exchanges 2017. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Er norsk barnevern dårligere enn andre lands barnevern? . (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Nytenkende forskning på barns beste i barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2017). Discrimination of unaccompanied asylum seeking minors. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Berrick, Jill Duerr; Dickens, Jonathan (2017). International perspectives on children’s involvement in child protection court cases. (external link)

Academic chapter/article/Conference paper

• Hestbæk, Anne-Dorthe; Skivenes, Marit; Falch-Eriksen, Asgeir et al. (2023). The Child Protection Systems in Denmark and Norway. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Beate Stein; Kriz, Katrin Teresa Maria; Skivenes, Marit (2023). Gauging the child’s presence and voice in adoption proceedings of children from care in seven European countries: applying a child equality perspective. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Helland, Hege Beate Stein (2021). Adoption from care in Norway. (external link)
• Poso, Tarja; Skivenes, Marit; Thoburn, June (2021). Introducing the field of adoption from care. (external link)
• Poso, Tarja; Skivenes, Marit; Thoburn, June (2021). Making sense of adoption from care in very different contexts. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Tefre, Øyvind Samnøy (2020). Errors and mistakes in the Norwegian child protection system. (external link)
• Luhamaa, Katre; Skivenes, Marit; Søvig, Karl Harald (2019). Discriminating against children.. (external link)
• Langford, Malcolm; Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene; Søvig, Karl Harald et al. (2019). Introduction: Implementing Child Rights. (external link)
• Falch-Eriksen, Asgeir; Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene (2019). Right to Protection. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Sørsdal, Line Marie (2018). The Child’s Best Interest Principle across Child Protection Jurisdictions. (external link)

Short communication

• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Communication No. 139/2021 B.J. and P.J. v. Czech Republic, Case Note 2023/07. (external link)
• Krutzinna, Jenny; Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene; Thoburn, June (2019). Acceptability of family court decision-making in eight jurisdictions. (external link)

Report

• Bartling, Björn; Cappelen, Alexander Wright; Hermes, Henning et al. (2023). Free to Fail? Paternalistic Preferences in the United States. (external link)
• Jensen, Frøydis Petersen; Kriz, Katrin; Skivenes, Marit (2022). Structuring Practice for Children’s Participation. Report I for the Participation Project: Mapping and Evaluating Organizational Guidelines. (external link)
• Luhamaa, Katre; Krutzinna, Jenny; Skivenes, Marit (2022). Child’s best interest in child protection legislation of 44 jurisdictions. (external link)
• Fjeld, Rune; Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene; Sasaoka, Karin et al. (2020). Gjennomgang av ti særlig konfliktfylte barnevernssaker i Bergen kommune.. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit (2020). Delrapport til strategiprosessen BarnUnge21: Forskning som støtter praksis, utdanning og innovasjon. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Helland, Hege Beate Stein (2019). Rapport: Adopsjon som barneverntiltak.. (external link)
• Helland, Hege Stein; Eek-Larsen, Kaja; Holm, Lisette et al. (2019). Mot et Barneperspektiv i Barnevernet: En studie av implementeringen av programmet Mitt Liv Barnevern . (external link)

Popular scientific lecture

• Skivenes, Marit (2023). Rett og sikkert i barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Loen, Mathea (2022). The International Anti-Liberal Right Versus Barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). Child Protection Systems Across the World. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Thoburn, June; Poso, Tarja et al. (2021). Book Lauch: Adoption from Care. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Barnevern - Blir det noen gang rett?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Fra et forskerperspektiv: Forventninger til hvordan anbefalingene i BarnUnge21-strategien skal følges opp.. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene (2020). Barnevernsarbeidernes erfaring med og synspunkter på konflikter. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Principper og praksis for anbringelser ved det norske barnevern og udfordringerne fra dommene ved Den Europæiske Menneskeretsdomstol.. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Har vi fortsatt tillit til barnevernet – og bør vi ha det?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Barnevern og barns rettigheter i en turbulent tid. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Beslutningsfatting i barnevernet . (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Norsk barnevern vurdert i forhold til andre lands systemer, samt refleksjoner om hva de store protestene mot norsk barnevern skyldes.. (external link)
• Bartling, Björn; Cappelen, Alexander Wright; Hermes, Henning et al. (2020). WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE NUDGES? EXPERIMENTAL EVIDENCE. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Krutzinna, Jenny; Luhamaa, Katre et al. (2020). Protecting Children, Creating Citizens. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Protecting Children, Creating Citizens: Participatory Child Protection Practice. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene (2019). Det norske barnevernsystemet: Hva skiller oss fra andre land?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene (2019). Trenger norsk barnevern en kursendring?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Jacobsen, Christine M.; Lopez, Marks et al. (2018). The Social and Political Challenges of Migration. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Barneperspektiv i fokus. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Barns frihet og rettigheter. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Juhasz, Ida Benedicte (2018). Hvem sin rett til familieliv? Når barnevernet tar over omsorgen for babyer.. (external link)

Academic anthology/Conference proceedings

• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Gilbert, Neil; Skivenes, Marit (2023). Oxford Handbook of Child Protection Systems. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Thoburn, June; Poso, Tarja (2021). Adoption from Care. International Perspectives on Children’s Rights, Family Preservation and State Intervention.. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Søvig, Karl Harald (2019). Child Rights and International Discrimination Law: Implementing Article 2 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (external link)
• Langford, Malcolm; Skivenes, Marit; Søvig, Karl Harald (2019). Children’s Rights in Norway: An Implementation Paradox?. (external link)

Popular scientific article

• Skivenes, Marit (2022). How to secure children´s rights in child protection proceedings. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). En Children’s Guardian-ordning vil sikre barns rettigheter i barnevernssaker. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). De usynlige barna i avgjørelser om adopsjon. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2022). Children drop of the radar in adoption from care judgments. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Hvordan kan barnevernsystemet bli bedre for foreldrene?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Vi bør gjøre mer for sårbare familier. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Det bør gå en alarm i barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Omsorgsovertakelser etter familievold: Hvorfor benekter foreldre vold mot barn?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). Denial and blame – a result of shame?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2021). How can the child protection system be more helpful to parents?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Ta barns rettigheter på alvor. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Har befolkningen tillit til barnevernet?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Adopsjon eller ikke?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Når bør barnevernet gripe inn?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Er barnets rettigheter viktigere enn foreldrenes rettigheter?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Hvorfor deltar ikke barn i barnevernssaker?. (external link)

Interview

• Skivenes, Marit; Nilsen, Ruth Einervoll (2020). Lovar betre barnevern etter menneskerettsrefs. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene (2020). Professor sammenliker norsk barnevern med andre land: – Det norske systemet er godt. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit Sissel Irene; Lene, Skogstrøm (2019). – Norsk barnevern er i front med barns rettigheter. Det kan virke som om vi har fått svi for det.. (external link)
• Rød, Solfrid; Skivenes, Marit (2018). Her er boka som skal forandre barnevernet. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit; Juhasz, Ida Benedicte (2018). Hva skal til for at barnevernet tar et nyfødt barn fra mor?. (external link)
• Moody, Oliver; Skivenes, Marit (2018). Norwegian mother wins asylum in Poland. (external link)

Multimedia product

• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Er det norske barnevernet i krise?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2020). Child protection in Norway - an international perspective.. (external link)

Doctoral dissertation

• Tefre, Øyvind Samnøy; Skivenes, Marit (2020). Exploring Boundaries of Legitimate State Intervention: Adoption as a Child Protection Measure in Norway and the United States. (external link)

Article in business/trade/industry journal

• Skivenes, Marit; Helland, Hege Stein (2019). Adopsjon som barneverntiltak. (external link)

Feature article

• Helland, Hege Beate Stein; Skivenes, Marit (2019). Barns rett til familieliv. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Hvem har mest innflytelse - Solberg eller Nav-konsulenten?. (external link)

Chapter

• Helland, Hege Stein; Skivenes, Marit; Tefre, Øyvind Samnøy (2019). Adopsjon som barneverntiltak – hvor er vi og hvor går vi?. (external link)
• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Barneperspektiv i fokus. (external link)

Briefs

• Skivenes, Marit (2018). Store forskjeller i barnevernsavgjørelser. Forskningsfunn fra "Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services".. (external link)

See a complete overview of publications in Cristin.

Open Access Publications:

• Skivenes, M., Falch-Eriksen, A., & Hassan, B. (2024). Restricting family life - an examination of citizens' views on state interventions and parental freedom in eight European countries. European Journal of Social Work, 27(3), 490–504
• Berrick, J., Skivenes, M. & Roscoe, J. N. (2023) Public perceptions of child protection, children’s rights, and personal values: An assessment of two states. Children and Youth Service Review, special issue "The Perspective of the Child in Child and Youth welfare"
• Loen, M. & Skivenes, M. (2023). Legitimate child protection interventions and the dimension of confidence: A comparative analysis of the populous views in six European countries. Journal of Social Policy, 1-20. DOI: 10.1017/S004727942300003X
• Skivenes, M. & Benbenishty, R. (2022). Securing permanence for children in care – a cross-country analysis of citizen´s view on adoption versus foster care. Child & Family Social Work 28(2): 432-442
• Helland, H. S., Pedersen, S. H. & Skivenes, M (2022). Comparing population views on state responsibility for children in vulnerable situations – the role of institutional context and socio-demographic characteristics. Journal of Public Child Welfare
• Skivenes, M. & Benbenishty, R. (2022). Populations trust in the child protection system: A cross-country comparison of nine high-income jurisdictions. Journal of European Social Policy 32(4)
• Berrick, J., Skivenes, M. & Roscoe, J. N. (2022). Parental Freedom in the Context of Risk to the Child: Citizens' views of child protection and the state in U.S. and Norway. Journal of Social Policy, 1-22
• Helland, Hege Stein; Pedersen, Siri Hansen; Skivenes, Marit (2022) Comparing population view´s on state responsibility for children in vulnerable situations – the role of institutional context and socio-demographic characteristics. Journal of Public Child Welfare
• Berrick, Jill Duerr; Skivenes, Marit; Roscoe, Joseph N. (2021) Children’s rights and parents’ rights: Popular attitudes about when we privilege one over the other. International Journal of Social Welfare
• Løvlie, A.; Skivenes, M. (2021) Justifying interventions in Norwegian child protection - an analysis of cases of violence in migrant and non-migrant families. Nordic Journal on Law and Society
• Skivenes, Thoburn, J., & Poso, T. (2021). Adoption from Care. International Perspectives on Children’s Rights, Family Preservation and State Intervention. Policy Press
• Skivenes, Marit (2021) Exploring populations view on thresholds and reasons for child protection intervention–comparing England, Norway, Poland and Romania. European Journal of Social Work
• Luhamaa, Katre; McEwan-Strand, Amy; Ruiken, Barbara; Skivenes, Marit; Wingens, Florian A. (2021) Services and support for mothers and newborn babies in vulnerable situations A study of eight European jurisdictions. Children and Youth Services Review
• Breen, C., Krutzinna, J., Luhamaa, K., & Skivenes, M. (2020). Family Life for Children in State Care. The International Journal of Children’s Rights.
• Krutzinna & Skivenes (2020). Judging parental competence: A cross-country analysis of judicial decision makers’ written assessment of mothers’ parenting capacities in newborn removal cases. Child & family social work.
• McEwan-Strand, A., & Skivenes, M. (2020). Children’s Capacities and Role in Matters of Great Significance for Them. The International Journal of Children’s Rights.
• Burns, Kriz, Krutzinna, Luhamaa, Meysen, Pösö, Segado, Skivenes & Thoburn. 2019. The Hidden Proceedings – An Analysis of Accountability of Child Protection Adoption Proceedings in Eight European Jurisdictions. European Journal of Comparative Law and Governance.
• Skivenes, Marit; Helland, Hege Beate Stein. 2019. Rapport: Adopsjon som barneverntiltak. Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism, Bergen.
• Langford, Skivenes & Søvig (eds.). 2019. Child rights in Norway: Measuring Compliance. Universitetsforlaget.
• Berrick, Dickens, Pösö & Skivenes. 2018. International Perspectives on Child-responsive Courts. International Journal of Children’s Rights.
• Skivenes & Sørsdal. 2018. The Child’s Best Interest Principle across Child Protection Jurisdictions. In Falch-Eriksen, A. & Backe-Hansen, E. (eds.) Human Rights in Child Protection – Implications for Professional Practice and Policy, pp. 59-88. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
• Skivenes, M. and Thoburn, J. (2016) ‘Pathways to permanence in England and Norway: A critical analysis of documents and data‘, Children and Youth Services Review, 67 (2016), pp. 152-160.
• Križ, K. and Skivenes, M. (2014) ‘Street-level policy aims of child welfare workers in England, Norway and the United States: An exploratory study’, Children and Youth Services Review, 40 (2014), pp. 71-78.
• Skivenes, M. and Trygstad, S. C. (2013) ‘Is the type of misconduct decisive for the perceived legitimacy of whistleblowing? A study of municipal managers’ assessments of whistleblowing in cases of harassment and corruption’, E-Journal of International and Comparative Labour Studies, 2, pp. 50-65.

ERC-grant: DISCRETION 

Professor Marit Skivenes is awarded an European Research Council (ERC) Frontier Research Grant for the research project DISCRETION to consolidate her research ideas and thinking around core themes in social sciences about the governments use of power towards its citizens, and the justifications of state interventions into peoples lives. The ERC sole evaluation criterion is scientific excellence of researcher and research proposal.

The full title of the project is “Discretion and the child’s best interests in child protection”, and it aims to unlock the black box of discretionary decision-making in child protection cases by a comparative-empirical study of how discretionary decisions are made and justified in the best interests of the child.

There are huge research gaps in this important area of the welfare state, with a great deal of uncertainty concerning how, when and why discretionary decisions about the child’s best interests are different between decision- makers within and between child protection systems.

• Read more here: www.discretion.uib.no

Current projects:

• Principal Investigator for the research project "CPS-WORLD" (University of Bergen). Funded by UiB and the Norwegian Research Council. 2022-2028.
• Principal Investigator for the research project Cross-national Experiences of Foster Care" (UiB/UC Berkeley). Finanisert av Peder Sather Grant Program. 2020-2021.
• Principal investigator for the research project "Legitimacy Challenges: An analysis of mistrust in core institutions and the normative fundament of the welfare state" (University of Bergen). Funded by the Norwegian Research Council (VAM). 2020 - 2025.
• Principal investigator for the research project "Discretion and the Child's Best Interest" (University of Bergen). Funded by the European Research Council (Consolidator Grant). 2017-2021. 
• Principal investigator for the research project "The Acceptability of Child Protection Interventions: A Cross-Country Analysis" (University of Bergen). Funded by the Norwegian Research Council (FRIHUMSAM). 2017-2021.
• Team leader for the research project "Cosmopolitan Turn and Democratic Sentiments: The Case of Child Protection Services" (Gabriel Bădescu, Asgeir Falch-Eriksen, Marit Skivenes) (Babeş-Bolyai University). Funded by the EEA and Norway Grants – Romania. 2019-2023.
• Member of the core group in the research project "Understanding Paternalism"  together with Alexander Cappelen and Bertil Tungodden (The Choice Lab, Norwegian School of Economics). Funded by the Norwegian Research Council (FRIPRO)
• Volume co-author (together with Jill Berrick and Neil Gilbert) on "Handbook on Comparative Child Welfare Policy» as part of the Oxford University Press International Social Policy Library. 2016-2019.

Previous projects

• Principal Investigator with Jill Berrick for the research project "Citizens’ views of child protection and the state: Welfare state theory, values, and risk" (UiB/UC Berkeley). Funded by the Peder Sather Grant Program. 2019-2020.Principal Investigator for the PRO BONO group research project on the implementation of "Mit Liv" (UiB). 2016-2019.
• Principal Investigator for the research project «Adoption as a Child Welfare Measure» (Adopsjon som et barneverntiltak, in Norwegian) (Marit Skivenes, Hege Helland, Øyvind Tefre), The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs. 2016-2018.
• Book project: "Children´s participation in child protection - street level bureaucrats exercise of discretion" (Marit Skivenes, Katrin Kriz). 2016-2018.
• Principal investigator in the research project “Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services – A Cross-Country Study of Decision-Making” (Marit Skivenes, Tarja Pösö, Jill Berrick, Jonathan Dickens, Anne-Mette Magnussen, Line Sørsdal), The Norwegian Research Council (VAM) 2012- june 2017.*
• Organizer of the fourth "Colloquium on the United Nations Covention on the Rights of the Child Implementation Project (CRC-IP)" together with Karl Harald Søvig. Funded by the Norwegian Research Council (VAM). April 2017.  
• Principal Investigator for the research project “The Norwegian Child Welfare System in a Comparative Perspective" (Marit Skivenes, Katrin Kriz, Heidi Skramstad, Øyvind Tefre, Milfrid Tonheim), The Norwegian Research Council (FRISAM) 2010- may 2017.
• Book project: Co-editor (Together with Malcolm Langford and Karl Harald Søvig) "Measuring Child Rights in Norway". Universitetsforlaget. 2016-2017