Course content

The course aims to introduce different perspectives in children and young people and welfare research. The course objectives will help the students to develop their understanding on new theoretical approaches that are most evident and/or the empirical methods (both quantitative and qualitative) and ethical challenges that is basis for doing research on or with children on welfare issues. Further the course will challenge the students to be innovative in thinking on how research contributes to develop, keep and change children's welfare in different local contexts (in nurseries, at school, in family, neighbourhood etc.) The course will take a closer look into different minority groups of children such as: disabled children, migration children, refugees' children, travellers' children, children as relatives etc. The actual group of children in focus will be announced in due time before the course starts.

Learning outcome

After having completed the course the students are expected to reach the following goals adressed to the group of children introduced in the course:
- Identify research questions in welfare research for children and young people
- Analyze, evaluate and criticise existing research in the research area of the course
- Understand and discuss the challenges in welfare research for children and young people
- Write a paper in welfare research on children and young people
- Apply relevant research methods in answering their resaerch question(s) for children and young people
- Identify ethical questions in welfare research on children and youth
- Be familiar with legal procedures in doing research with/on children.

Learning methods and activities

Lectures, student presentations of papers with feedback from the teachers and audience, individually and as a group. Teaching language is English or Norwegian. Language will be announced in due time before the course starts. The course is offered when teaching resources are available and not less then 5 persons are registered

Compulsory assignments

• Participation, presentation of paper and paper discussion

Required previous knowledge

Master degree in Health Science, Social Work or the social sciences. Master students can sometimes be admitted to the course, but do not earn ECTs.

Course materials

Will be given at the announcement of the course. Usually journal articles and book chapters from research-based anthologies.