On Monday 26th of June the research group Law, Politics and Welfare, including Centre for Research on Discretion and Paternalism (DIPA) and Centre for Law and Social Transformation (LawTransform) visited colleagues at University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland for a joint workshop. This visit spanned two days and revolved around a focused colloquium centered on the crucial topics of Child Protection and Children’s Rights. The purpose of the colloquium was to foster knowledge exchange and meaningful discussions among colleagues, aiming to further advance the understanding and implementation of effective child protection measures and the safeguarding of children’s rights. This visit provided an invaluable opportunity for researchers from Bergen and Cork to collaborate, share insights, and contribute to the ongoing research articles of the attendants.
26th of June – highlights
Professor Marit Skivenes and Deputy Director Kenneth Burns kicked off the day with an introduction and by welcoming everyone. Professor Connor O’Mahoney followed by giving a talk on the European Convention on Human Rights. Kenneth Burns (UCC), Eva Boyle (HIQA), and Emma King (Tulsa) followed, with a presentation titled “Monitory mechanisms for child protection service in Ireland: trust, transparency and accountability”. Postdoctoral Fellow, Hege Helland, followed by presenting her paper titled “Domestic Implementation of International Human Rights Case Law at the Norwegian Child Welfare Frontline”. After a break, PhD Fellow, Frøydis Jensen, and Mathea Loen presented their PhD papers titled “Unraveling Nordic perspectives on different types of child participation in court proceedings” and “Child protection discussions in social media”. The day ended with two paper presentation. The first from researcher Audun Løvlie titled “Structuring Hearings and Sharing – children’s participation in judicial processes”. The second and final paper presentation was from Professor Marit Skivenes, Head of DIPA, who presented her paper titled “A global perspective on child protection”.
27th of June – highlights
The day started with a presentation titled “Guardian ad litem model in Ireland” from Caroline Shore (UCC). Marit Skivenes held a presentation on the Norwegian official report – “Safe Childhood, Secure Future” (Skivenes Report), which was streamed for Tulsa and UCC staff. After a break, PhD Fellow Barbara Ruiken had a trial public defense of her PhD “Rule of Discretion: Exploring the Tensions between Discretion and the Rule of Law in Newborn Care Order Decisions”. The opponents for the trial public defense were Professor Siri Gloppen and Deputy Director Kenneth Burns. Supervisor, Tarja Pöso (Tampere University) also joined the public defense. Researcher Victor Cepoi followed, with a paper presentation “Understanding the perceptions of Childrens’ Rights Protection through Civic Morality in a four-country comparative study”. The day ended with a paper presentation by Professor Siri Gloppen titled “Challenging Norway’s Child Protection Services in Strasbourg: Individual quests or transnational actors back-seat driving?”.
The success of the Bergen Cork Exchange can be attributed to the dedication and active participation of all involved. The participants engaged in thought-provoking presentations and interactive sessions. The commitment to sharing knowledge, engaging in critical discussions, and exploring new avenues for research and practice was evident throughout the colloquium. We would especially like to thank our colleagues in Cork for hosting us!