Ira Malmberg‐heimonen
Biographic Data
| ID | 281736 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Ira Malmberg‐heimonen |
| GIVEN NAMES | Ira |
| FAMILY NAME | Malmberg‐heimonen |
| SIGNATURE | HEIMONEN I M |
| AFFILIATIONS | OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-7211-4125 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 27 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 80 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 27 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2002 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Obstacles and facilitators of return to work among people with persistent pain who receive benefit payments: An in-depth interview study
While struggling with pain and coexisting health issues, participants experienced overwhelming system and contextual obstacles. Key facilitators included fortuitous encounters with supportive welfare system staff and personal attributes such as psychological flexibility and determination. Our findings highlight areas of the welfare system that could be improved to provide more empathetic and person-centred pathways for people with persistent pain…
Assessing Program Fidelity Patterns within the IPS for Young Adults in Norway
Regular fidelity assessments of the IPS young adults program help maintain its quality and provide valuable learning opportunities for those involved
The framing of educational digitalization: A scoping review of empirical studies
The aim of this scoping review is to systematically investigate the framing of European empirical research on digitalization for teaching and learning in the classroom within primary and secondary school (K‐12/K‐13). We believe it is crucial to gain insight in the framing of the knowledge production taking place in the fast‐evolving field of educational digitalization. The framing will influence the research results and conclusions published as w…
Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of supportive parents – coping kids (SPARCK)—a transdiagnostic and personalized parent training intervention to prevent childhood mental health problem…
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NTCT05800522
Protocol: Feasibility study and pilot randomised trial of a multilingual support intervention to improve Norwegian language skills for adult refugees
This protocol is for a feasibility study and pilot trial of a multilingual support intervention. The intervention's aim is to improve language training for refugees in Norway by introducing multilingual support assistants using the refugees’ primary languages. The research question for this pilot study is whether a full-scale randomised controlled trial of Multilingual Support is feasible, and if so, in what way. The pilot trial will have two arm…
Family Intervention Projects as Poverty-Alleviating Measures: Results from a Norwegian Cluster-Randomised Study
This cluster-randomised study analyses the implementation of a family intervention model (the HOLF model) on four target areas: parental employment, the financial and housing situations, and the social inclusion of children. The study compares family coordinators implementing the HOLF model including tools, schemes and supervision structures, with those implementing local family intervention practices. All twenty-nine participating Labour and Wel…
Behandlingskontrast i eksperimenter innen velferd og utdanning
Denne artikkelen belyser metodologiske problemstillinger ved eksperimentelle studier på velferds- og utdanningsfeltet. Evalueringer med eksperimentelle design er stadig vanligere på samfunnsvitenskapelige områder, men de kan være utfordrende å gjennomføre. Intervensjonene involverer gjerne flere aktører. De har ulike nivåer av implementering og flere mekanismer som påvirker hverandre. Intervensjonene iverksettes gjerne i komplekse praksiskontekst…
The child perspective within family intervention projects: A cluster-randomised study with a mixed methods design
Family interventions have been introduced in several European countries as social inclusion measures for disadvantaged families. Compared with adult social work, in social work for families, social workers aim to utilise a whole-family approach; they follow up all family members, acknowledge multiple target areas and coordinate the services for the families. This cluster-randomised study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03102775) with a mixed methods appr…
The Effects of Service Coordination on Disadvantaged Parents’ Participation in Activation Programs and Employment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose This randomized controlled study evaluates the effects of coordinated follow-up within a family intervention project on parents’ participation in activation programs and employment. The trial has been registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03102775). Methods Of 2634 families, 1429 families were randomized to be offered follow-up by a family coordinator, while 1205 families participated in ordinary follow-up without a family coor…
Strengthening the working alliance between social workers and parents living in households with low income
Although a positive working alliance is important for creating changes for families and individuals, little is known about the various factors that improve the alliance between social workers and parents in vulnerable situations. The Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare has developed a model for Holistic follow-up of Low-income Families (the HOLF model), where parents are followed up by dedicated family coordinators with low caseloads. In …
Social workers use of knowledge in an evidence-based framework: A mixed methods study
Since the 1990s, evidence-based practice has become part of social work, grounded in the notion that social work should be a research-based profession. However, recent studies show that social workers struggle with bridging research and practice. This study analysed Norwegian social workers’ use of knowledge in their daily practice, drawing on data from a survey consisting of 2060 social workers in different practice fields as well as qualitative…
Comparing the Effects of Governmental and Local Family Intervention Projects on Social Work Practices in Norway: A Cluster-Randomised Study
Increased child poverty in Europe has urged the need for poverty alleviating measures, such as family intervention projects. In this project, family coordinators follow-up low-income families on multiple areas. The cluster-randomised evaluation compares effects of governmental and local family intervention projects on social work practices in Norway. Of the twenty-nine participating Labour and Welfare offices, fifteen were randomised to the exper…
Improving follow-up with low-income families in Norway. What is new and what is already regular social work practice
Policymakers emphasise knowledge-based practices and evaluate their effectiveness. The Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare has developed a model for Comprehensive follow-up of Low-income Families (the so-called HOLF model). The model includes several elements common in social work, such as relational and empowering practices, in addition to the implementation of intervention-specific tools and principles. Because most of the family coordi…
Long-Term Effects of Research-Based and Practice-Based Job Search Interventions: An RCT Reevaluation
Objective: This study reevaluates the effects of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of job search interventions on labor force participation. In the trial, various methods of job search interventions were included, of which about half were research-based JOBS (Job Opportunity and Basic Skills) interventions and the other half were practice-based, that is, without a theoretical or empirical base. This study compares effects of the research-based …
Welfare Generosity in Europe: A Multi‐level Study of Material Deprivation and Income Poverty among Disadvantaged Groups
The aim of this study is to analyze whether and to what extent welfare generosity moderates the risk of income poverty and material deprivation among disadvantaged groups, that is, people with ill health, low education and lack of employment. The data are based on the 2009 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (cross‐sectional) surveys. The analyses comprise 27 and 28 European countries, including 292,874 and 302,343 individua…
The Effects of Skill Training on Social Workers' Professional Competences in Norway: Results of a Cluster-Randomised Study
Using a cluster-randomised design, this study analyses the effects of a government-administered skill training programme for social workers in Norway. The training programme aims to improve social workers' professional competences by enhancing and systematising follow-up work directed towards longer-term unemployed clients in the following areas: encountering the user, system-oriented efforts and administrative work. The main tools and techniques…
Effects of individualised follow‐up on activation programme participants' self‐sufficiency: A cluster‐randomised study
Recent developments within activation policies emphasise tailor‐made and individualised services; however, little is known of what the effects of these initiatives are. The aim of this study was, therefore, to analyse, in a cluster‐randomised design, the long‐term effects of an individualised follow‐up model on welfare recipients' self‐sufficiency. The follow‐up model systematises the work done by social workers within the Q ualification P rogram…
Social Workers’ Training Evaluated by a Cluster-Randomized Study: Reemployment for Welfare Recipients
Objective: Using a cluster-randomized design, this study evaluates whether a skill training program for social workers increases reemployment among welfare recipients. The program focuses on systematizing follow-up work within the areas of encounters with users, system-oriented efforts, and administrative work. Methods: Data consist of baseline and 18-month follow-up questionnaires for welfare recipients ( N = 617) in the 18 participating labor a…
Social inequalities, social trust and civic participation—the case of Norway
Comparative studies have generally demonstrated high levels of social capital in the Scandinavian welfare states. It has also been shown that social capital is generally higher among more privileged groups of people than among less privileged groups. However, less is known about how the different types of social inequalities relate to various types of social capital. The aim of this study is to go beyond the generally high Norwegian levels of soc…
Understanding the longer-term effects of family group conferences
Few studies estimate the longer-term effects of family group conferences (FGCs), as previous research has been mainly qualitative or has focused only on the shorter-term effects of FGCs. This study analyses, using a randomised controlled design, the longer-term effects of adult FGCs in terms of social support, mental health and re-employment. A total of 149 Norwegian longer-term social assistance recipients were randomly assigned to intervention …
The Effects of Family Group Conferences on Social Support and Mental Health for Longer-Term Social Assistance Recipients in Norway
Although family group conferences (FGCs) are primarily known from child welfare services, they have also been used in several adult contexts. Nevertheless, we lack reliable evaluations addressing the effects of FGCs in general, and their effects in adult settings in particular. This study analyses, using a randomised controlled design, the social support and mental health effects of FGCs in social services in Norway. A total of 149 longer-term so…
Social inequality and health: The Role of Social Capital
The aim of the article is to examine whether and to what degree the unequal distribution of social capital in the population explains the relationship between socioeconomic position and health in Norway. Theoretical insight and empirical evidence seem to suggest that social capital mediates the effect of socioeconomic position on health outcomes. However, only a few studies have addressed this question and those that have done so have used few an…
The social capital and mental health of long-term social assistance recipients in Norway: Socialt kapital och mental hälsa hos långvariga mottagare av socialbidrag i Norge
Previous findings have generally demonstrated the positive mental health benefits of social capital. However, the mental health benefits of social capital for social assistance recipients have not been fully demonstrated. This study analyses the mental health benefits of individual-level bonding and individual-level bridging social capital for 551 Norwegian longer-term social assistance recipients. The findings demonstrate that bonding social cap…
Out of Unemployment? A Comparative Analysis of the Risks and Opportunities Longer-term Unemployed Immigrant Youth Face when Entering the Labour Market
Because of high unemployment rates among youth in Europe, comparative research has focused on identification of those risks and opportunities associated with the integration process from unemployment to work. The integration process of immigrant youth, however, received much less attention, despite their initially higher risk of unemployment than that for non-immigrant youth. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the exit from longer-term unemplo…
Activation or discouragement—the effect of enforced participation on the success of job-search training Aktivointi vai lannistaminen—Työnhakuryhmään velvoittamisen vaikutukset This article has been pu…
In recent years, there has been a shift in labour market policies towards enforcing unemployed workers' participation in labour market programmes by means of financial sanctions. Requirements of activation and financial sanctions have changed the nature of social work and generated a conflict between client needs and policy requirements. The aim of this study is to investigate whether and how enforced participation modifies the impact of job-sear…
Social inequality and health: The Role of Social Capital
The aim of the article is to examine whether and to what degree the unequal distribution of social capital in the population explains the relationship between socioeconomic position and health in Norway. Theoretical insight and empirical evidence seem to suggest that social capital mediates the effect of socioeconomic position on health outcomes. However, only a few studies have addressed this question and those that have done so have used few an…
Social Workers’ Training Evaluated by a Cluster-Randomized Study: Reemployment for Welfare Recipients
Objective: Using a cluster-randomized design, this study evaluates whether a skill training program for social workers increases reemployment among welfare recipients. The program focuses on systematizing follow-up work within the areas of encounters with users, system-oriented efforts, and administrative work. Methods: Data consist of baseline and 18-month follow-up questionnaires for welfare recipients ( N = 617) in the 18 participating labor a…
Social workers use of knowledge in an evidence-based framework: A mixed methods study
Since the 1990s, evidence-based practice has become part of social work, grounded in the notion that social work should be a research-based profession. However, recent studies show that social workers struggle with bridging research and practice. This study analysed Norwegian social workers’ use of knowledge in their daily practice, drawing on data from a survey consisting of 2060 social workers in different practice fields as well as qualitative…
Welfare Generosity in Europe: A Multi‐level Study of Material Deprivation and Income Poverty among Disadvantaged Groups
The aim of this study is to analyze whether and to what extent welfare generosity moderates the risk of income poverty and material deprivation among disadvantaged groups, that is, people with ill health, low education and lack of employment. The data are based on the 2009 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (cross‐sectional) surveys. The analyses comprise 27 and 28 European countries, including 292,874 and 302,343 individua…
The Effects of Family Group Conferences on Social Support and Mental Health for Longer-Term Social Assistance Recipients in Norway
Although family group conferences (FGCs) are primarily known from child welfare services, they have also been used in several adult contexts. Nevertheless, we lack reliable evaluations addressing the effects of FGCs in general, and their effects in adult settings in particular. This study analyses, using a randomised controlled design, the social support and mental health effects of FGCs in social services in Norway. A total of 149 longer-term so…
Activation or discouragement—the effect of enforced participation on the success of job-search training Aktivointi vai lannistaminen—Työnhakuryhmään velvoittamisen vaikutukset This article has been pu…
In recent years, there has been a shift in labour market policies towards enforcing unemployed workers' participation in labour market programmes by means of financial sanctions. Requirements of activation and financial sanctions have changed the nature of social work and generated a conflict between client needs and policy requirements. The aim of this study is to investigate whether and how enforced participation modifies the impact of job-sear…
The child perspective within family intervention projects: A cluster-randomised study with a mixed methods design
Family interventions have been introduced in several European countries as social inclusion measures for disadvantaged families. Compared with adult social work, in social work for families, social workers aim to utilise a whole-family approach; they follow up all family members, acknowledge multiple target areas and coordinate the services for the families. This cluster-randomised study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03102775) with a mixed methods appr…
The Effects of Skill Training on Social Workers' Professional Competences in Norway: Results of a Cluster-Randomised Study
Using a cluster-randomised design, this study analyses the effects of a government-administered skill training programme for social workers in Norway. The training programme aims to improve social workers' professional competences by enhancing and systematising follow-up work directed towards longer-term unemployed clients in the following areas: encountering the user, system-oriented efforts and administrative work. The main tools and techniques…
The social capital and mental health of long-term social assistance recipients in Norway: Socialt kapital och mental hälsa hos långvariga mottagare av socialbidrag i Norge
Previous findings have generally demonstrated the positive mental health benefits of social capital. However, the mental health benefits of social capital for social assistance recipients have not been fully demonstrated. This study analyses the mental health benefits of individual-level bonding and individual-level bridging social capital for 551 Norwegian longer-term social assistance recipients. The findings demonstrate that bonding social cap…
Out of Unemployment? A Comparative Analysis of the Risks and Opportunities Longer-term Unemployed Immigrant Youth Face when Entering the Labour Market
Because of high unemployment rates among youth in Europe, comparative research has focused on identification of those risks and opportunities associated with the integration process from unemployment to work. The integration process of immigrant youth, however, received much less attention, despite their initially higher risk of unemployment than that for non-immigrant youth. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the exit from longer-term unemplo…
The Effects of Service Coordination on Disadvantaged Parents’ Participation in Activation Programs and Employment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose This randomized controlled study evaluates the effects of coordinated follow-up within a family intervention project on parents’ participation in activation programs and employment. The trial has been registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03102775). Methods Of 2634 families, 1429 families were randomized to be offered follow-up by a family coordinator, while 1205 families participated in ordinary follow-up without a family coor…
Strengthening the working alliance between social workers and parents living in households with low income
Although a positive working alliance is important for creating changes for families and individuals, little is known about the various factors that improve the alliance between social workers and parents in vulnerable situations. The Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare has developed a model for Holistic follow-up of Low-income Families (the HOLF model), where parents are followed up by dedicated family coordinators with low caseloads. In …
Improving follow-up with low-income families in Norway. What is new and what is already regular social work practice
Policymakers emphasise knowledge-based practices and evaluate their effectiveness. The Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare has developed a model for Comprehensive follow-up of Low-income Families (the so-called HOLF model). The model includes several elements common in social work, such as relational and empowering practices, in addition to the implementation of intervention-specific tools and principles. Because most of the family coordi…
Financial Incentives and Job‐search Training: Methods to Increase Labour Market Integration in Contemporary Welfare States
In their efforts to increase labour market integration, contemporary welfare states emphasize the importance of financial incentives, active job‐searching and participation in labour market programmes. However, the effects of these policies have been minor and in some cases even inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine whether and how financial incentives and job‐search training programmes increase re‐employment and the quality of re‐em…
Equal opportunities, true options or hidden unemployment? A comparative perspective on labour‐market marginality
Previous studies have shown that women generally adjust to unemployment better than men. This study shows that young women value work equally as highly as men, and have negative feelings when unemployed, which indicates the existence of a closed gender gap. However, children have a different influence on men’s and women’s unemployment experiences. Being a parent increases job‐search activity and work involvement among men. On the other hand, chil…
Family Intervention Projects as Poverty-Alleviating Measures: Results from a Norwegian Cluster-Randomised Study
This cluster-randomised study analyses the implementation of a family intervention model (the HOLF model) on four target areas: parental employment, the financial and housing situations, and the social inclusion of children. The study compares family coordinators implementing the HOLF model including tools, schemes and supervision structures, with those implementing local family intervention practices. All twenty-nine participating Labour and Wel…
Long-Term Effects of Research-Based and Practice-Based Job Search Interventions: An RCT Reevaluation
Objective: This study reevaluates the effects of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of job search interventions on labor force participation. In the trial, various methods of job search interventions were included, of which about half were research-based JOBS (Job Opportunity and Basic Skills) interventions and the other half were practice-based, that is, without a theoretical or empirical base. This study compares effects of the research-based …
Effects of individualised follow‐up on activation programme participants' self‐sufficiency: A cluster‐randomised study
Recent developments within activation policies emphasise tailor‐made and individualised services; however, little is known of what the effects of these initiatives are. The aim of this study was, therefore, to analyse, in a cluster‐randomised design, the long‐term effects of an individualised follow‐up model on welfare recipients' self‐sufficiency. The follow‐up model systematises the work done by social workers within the Q ualification P rogram…
Social inequalities, social trust and civic participation—the case of Norway
Comparative studies have generally demonstrated high levels of social capital in the Scandinavian welfare states. It has also been shown that social capital is generally higher among more privileged groups of people than among less privileged groups. However, less is known about how the different types of social inequalities relate to various types of social capital. The aim of this study is to go beyond the generally high Norwegian levels of soc…
Understanding the longer-term effects of family group conferences
Few studies estimate the longer-term effects of family group conferences (FGCs), as previous research has been mainly qualitative or has focused only on the shorter-term effects of FGCs. This study analyses, using a randomised controlled design, the longer-term effects of adult FGCs in terms of social support, mental health and re-employment. A total of 149 Norwegian longer-term social assistance recipients were randomly assigned to intervention …
Equal opportunities, true options or hidden unemployment? A comparative perspective on labour‐market marginality
Previous studies have shown that women generally adjust to unemployment better than men. This study shows that young women value work equally as highly as men, and have negative feelings when unemployed, which indicates the existence of a closed gender gap. However, children have a different influence on men’s and women’s unemployment experiences. Being a parent increases job‐search activity and work involvement among men. On the other hand, chil…
Activation or discouragement—the effect of enforced participation on the success of job-search training Aktivointi vai lannistaminen—Työnhakuryhmään velvoittamisen vaikutukset This article has been pu…
In recent years, there has been a shift in labour market policies towards enforcing unemployed workers' participation in labour market programmes by means of financial sanctions. Requirements of activation and financial sanctions have changed the nature of social work and generated a conflict between client needs and policy requirements. The aim of this study is to investigate whether and how enforced participation modifies the impact of job-sear…
Financial Incentives and Job‐search Training: Methods to Increase Labour Market Integration in Contemporary Welfare States
In their efforts to increase labour market integration, contemporary welfare states emphasize the importance of financial incentives, active job‐searching and participation in labour market programmes. However, the effects of these policies have been minor and in some cases even inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine whether and how financial incentives and job‐search training programmes increase re‐employment and the quality of re‐em…
Out of Unemployment? A Comparative Analysis of the Risks and Opportunities Longer-term Unemployed Immigrant Youth Face when Entering the Labour Market
Because of high unemployment rates among youth in Europe, comparative research has focused on identification of those risks and opportunities associated with the integration process from unemployment to work. The integration process of immigrant youth, however, received much less attention, despite their initially higher risk of unemployment than that for non-immigrant youth. Therefore, this study aims to analyse the exit from longer-term unemplo…
The social capital and mental health of long-term social assistance recipients in Norway: Socialt kapital och mental hälsa hos långvariga mottagare av socialbidrag i Norge
Previous findings have generally demonstrated the positive mental health benefits of social capital. However, the mental health benefits of social capital for social assistance recipients have not been fully demonstrated. This study analyses the mental health benefits of individual-level bonding and individual-level bridging social capital for 551 Norwegian longer-term social assistance recipients. The findings demonstrate that bonding social cap…
Social inequality and health: The Role of Social Capital
The aim of the article is to examine whether and to what degree the unequal distribution of social capital in the population explains the relationship between socioeconomic position and health in Norway. Theoretical insight and empirical evidence seem to suggest that social capital mediates the effect of socioeconomic position on health outcomes. However, only a few studies have addressed this question and those that have done so have used few an…
The Effects of Family Group Conferences on Social Support and Mental Health for Longer-Term Social Assistance Recipients in Norway
Although family group conferences (FGCs) are primarily known from child welfare services, they have also been used in several adult contexts. Nevertheless, we lack reliable evaluations addressing the effects of FGCs in general, and their effects in adult settings in particular. This study analyses, using a randomised controlled design, the social support and mental health effects of FGCs in social services in Norway. A total of 149 longer-term so…
Social inequalities, social trust and civic participation—the case of Norway
Comparative studies have generally demonstrated high levels of social capital in the Scandinavian welfare states. It has also been shown that social capital is generally higher among more privileged groups of people than among less privileged groups. However, less is known about how the different types of social inequalities relate to various types of social capital. The aim of this study is to go beyond the generally high Norwegian levels of soc…
Understanding the longer-term effects of family group conferences
Few studies estimate the longer-term effects of family group conferences (FGCs), as previous research has been mainly qualitative or has focused only on the shorter-term effects of FGCs. This study analyses, using a randomised controlled design, the longer-term effects of adult FGCs in terms of social support, mental health and re-employment. A total of 149 Norwegian longer-term social assistance recipients were randomly assigned to intervention …
Effects of individualised follow‐up on activation programme participants' self‐sufficiency: A cluster‐randomised study
Recent developments within activation policies emphasise tailor‐made and individualised services; however, little is known of what the effects of these initiatives are. The aim of this study was, therefore, to analyse, in a cluster‐randomised design, the long‐term effects of an individualised follow‐up model on welfare recipients' self‐sufficiency. The follow‐up model systematises the work done by social workers within the Q ualification P rogram…
Social Workers’ Training Evaluated by a Cluster-Randomized Study: Reemployment for Welfare Recipients
Objective: Using a cluster-randomized design, this study evaluates whether a skill training program for social workers increases reemployment among welfare recipients. The program focuses on systematizing follow-up work within the areas of encounters with users, system-oriented efforts, and administrative work. Methods: Data consist of baseline and 18-month follow-up questionnaires for welfare recipients ( N = 617) in the 18 participating labor a…
The Effects of Skill Training on Social Workers' Professional Competences in Norway: Results of a Cluster-Randomised Study
Using a cluster-randomised design, this study analyses the effects of a government-administered skill training programme for social workers in Norway. The training programme aims to improve social workers' professional competences by enhancing and systematising follow-up work directed towards longer-term unemployed clients in the following areas: encountering the user, system-oriented efforts and administrative work. The main tools and techniques…
Long-Term Effects of Research-Based and Practice-Based Job Search Interventions: An RCT Reevaluation
Objective: This study reevaluates the effects of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of job search interventions on labor force participation. In the trial, various methods of job search interventions were included, of which about half were research-based JOBS (Job Opportunity and Basic Skills) interventions and the other half were practice-based, that is, without a theoretical or empirical base. This study compares effects of the research-based …
Welfare Generosity in Europe: A Multi‐level Study of Material Deprivation and Income Poverty among Disadvantaged Groups
The aim of this study is to analyze whether and to what extent welfare generosity moderates the risk of income poverty and material deprivation among disadvantaged groups, that is, people with ill health, low education and lack of employment. The data are based on the 2009 European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (cross‐sectional) surveys. The analyses comprise 27 and 28 European countries, including 292,874 and 302,343 individua…
Improving follow-up with low-income families in Norway. What is new and what is already regular social work practice
Policymakers emphasise knowledge-based practices and evaluate their effectiveness. The Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare has developed a model for Comprehensive follow-up of Low-income Families (the so-called HOLF model). The model includes several elements common in social work, such as relational and empowering practices, in addition to the implementation of intervention-specific tools and principles. Because most of the family coordi…
Strengthening the working alliance between social workers and parents living in households with low income
Although a positive working alliance is important for creating changes for families and individuals, little is known about the various factors that improve the alliance between social workers and parents in vulnerable situations. The Norwegian Directorate of Labour and Welfare has developed a model for Holistic follow-up of Low-income Families (the HOLF model), where parents are followed up by dedicated family coordinators with low caseloads. In …
Social workers use of knowledge in an evidence-based framework: A mixed methods study
Since the 1990s, evidence-based practice has become part of social work, grounded in the notion that social work should be a research-based profession. However, recent studies show that social workers struggle with bridging research and practice. This study analysed Norwegian social workers’ use of knowledge in their daily practice, drawing on data from a survey consisting of 2060 social workers in different practice fields as well as qualitative…
Comparing the Effects of Governmental and Local Family Intervention Projects on Social Work Practices in Norway: A Cluster-Randomised Study
Increased child poverty in Europe has urged the need for poverty alleviating measures, such as family intervention projects. In this project, family coordinators follow-up low-income families on multiple areas. The cluster-randomised evaluation compares effects of governmental and local family intervention projects on social work practices in Norway. Of the twenty-nine participating Labour and Welfare offices, fifteen were randomised to the exper…
The child perspective within family intervention projects: A cluster-randomised study with a mixed methods design
Family interventions have been introduced in several European countries as social inclusion measures for disadvantaged families. Compared with adult social work, in social work for families, social workers aim to utilise a whole-family approach; they follow up all family members, acknowledge multiple target areas and coordinate the services for the families. This cluster-randomised study (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03102775) with a mixed methods appr…
The Effects of Service Coordination on Disadvantaged Parents’ Participation in Activation Programs and Employment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Purpose This randomized controlled study evaluates the effects of coordinated follow-up within a family intervention project on parents’ participation in activation programs and employment. The trial has been registered on Clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT03102775). Methods Of 2634 families, 1429 families were randomized to be offered follow-up by a family coordinator, while 1205 families participated in ordinary follow-up without a family coor…
Protocol: Feasibility study and pilot randomised trial of a multilingual support intervention to improve Norwegian language skills for adult refugees
This protocol is for a feasibility study and pilot trial of a multilingual support intervention. The intervention's aim is to improve language training for refugees in Norway by introducing multilingual support assistants using the refugees’ primary languages. The research question for this pilot study is whether a full-scale randomised controlled trial of Multilingual Support is feasible, and if so, in what way. The pilot trial will have two arm…
Family Intervention Projects as Poverty-Alleviating Measures: Results from a Norwegian Cluster-Randomised Study
This cluster-randomised study analyses the implementation of a family intervention model (the HOLF model) on four target areas: parental employment, the financial and housing situations, and the social inclusion of children. The study compares family coordinators implementing the HOLF model including tools, schemes and supervision structures, with those implementing local family intervention practices. All twenty-nine participating Labour and Wel…
Behandlingskontrast i eksperimenter innen velferd og utdanning
Denne artikkelen belyser metodologiske problemstillinger ved eksperimentelle studier på velferds- og utdanningsfeltet. Evalueringer med eksperimentelle design er stadig vanligere på samfunnsvitenskapelige områder, men de kan være utfordrende å gjennomføre. Intervensjonene involverer gjerne flere aktører. De har ulike nivåer av implementering og flere mekanismer som påvirker hverandre. Intervensjonene iverksettes gjerne i komplekse praksiskontekst…
The framing of educational digitalization: A scoping review of empirical studies
The aim of this scoping review is to systematically investigate the framing of European empirical research on digitalization for teaching and learning in the classroom within primary and secondary school (K‐12/K‐13). We believe it is crucial to gain insight in the framing of the knowledge production taking place in the fast‐evolving field of educational digitalization. The framing will influence the research results and conclusions published as w…
Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of supportive parents – coping kids (SPARCK)—a transdiagnostic and personalized parent training intervention to prevent childhood mental health problem…
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NTCT05800522
Psychology (20 works) · Political science (15 works) · Economics (14 works) · Economic growth (13 works) · Medicine (11 works) · Demographic economics (9 works) · Social Work (9 works) · Welfare (9 works) · Employment and Welfare Studies (8 works) · Sociology (8 works)