Research on children, young people, families, and child welfare
Research on children, young people, families, and child welfare has a long history at Tampere University. During those years, research has been carried out in a variety of projects, teams, and disciplinary compositions. Two major lines of research have emerged, one focusing on child welfare as an institution and the other on childhood, youth, and family.
In the first line of research, the key interest is in child welfare as a social institution, field of professional practice and as a lived experience. We conduct research on child welfare in a variety of settings. A socio-legal approach is also employed, as the rights of children and the use of public power are examined as part of the group’s research.
The other line of research focuses on changes and vulnerabilities in personal lives and family relations that are relevant to social work. The ambition is to recognize, empirically examine and conceptualize the hidden features and tendencies of personal lives and family relations.
The researchers in this field of study are closely involved in post-qualifying education in social work and local, regional, and national development of child welfare and they are active members of national and international research communities. Several PhD degrees with a focus on children, young people, families, and child welfare have been completed during the years.