The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (NUBU)

The center is organized as a NORCE company. The research conducted here shall be action directed and among other factors linked to implementation and evaluation of methods used to work with behavioral problems.

The center is built on three main pillars:

• Implementation, training and further development of new methods in the work with serious behavioral problems,
• research linked to evaluation and development of new methods, and
• research regarding spread and development of behavioral problems among children.

Here you can read our annual report for 2018

Aims, activities and responsibility
The center’s aim is to strengthen the knowledge and raise the competence in work with behavioral problems among children. The center shall also stimulate interdisciplinary research on this subject and strengthen the connection between research and practice. The center’s activities shall build on an interdisciplinary perspective and promote the cooperation between the different occupational groups that are linked to the center and between researchers with different background and profile. The center shall engage in research, developmental work, education, counseling and training.

Through its activities, the center shall work towards that children with serious behavioral problems and their families get assistance, which is based on research, relevant, individually adjusted and has effective results according to today's knowledge level. The activities at the center shall be interdisciplinary and integrated, and they shall contribute to development of competence and effective family- and community based initiatives to prevent and intervene relations to serious behavioral problems with children.

The center has a responsibility as a network for researchers and environments that work with research and building competence in the work with children and behavioral problems.

The center will also engage in education and guidance of occupational groups linked to schools, child welfare and mental health care.

Funding and organization
The center is financed through a joint commission from The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs, Ministry of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion, The Norwegian Directorate of Health and The Norwegian Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education. From 2009 The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs is in charge of coordinating the commission.

The center is a subsidiary of NORCE Norwegian Research Centre AS.

The center has four departments: The research department, The developing department for children, The developing department for youth – and a limited administration of five employees.

Members of the board
The first board of directors for the Norwegian Centre for the Studies of Behavioral Problems and Innovative Therapy Ltd was appointed on the 10th April 2003. Current members are:

• Ingvild Eide Graff, EVP, NORCE: Uni Research Health. Chairman.
• Steinar Meling, Organization director, NORCE. Also deputy for the Chairman.
• Kristin Akerjordet, The Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Stavanger.
• May-Britt Drugli, NTNU: Institute for Mental Health.
• Monica Martinussen, RKBU North, University of Tromsø.
• Mari-Anne Sørlie, NUBU: Research department. Employee representative.

Deputies:

Bjørn Brunborg, NORCE: Uni Research Health, RKBU West.

Anders Johan Wickstrøm Andersen, Faculty of Health and Sports Sciences, University of Agder. 

Monica Sandnesmo, NORCE: Uni Research.

Henrik Daae Zachrisson, Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo.

Mari Hagve, Child Protection Chief, Child Welfare Services, Bærum municipality.

Kyrre Lønnum, NUBU: Development Department Youth, deputy for Mari-Anne Sørlie.