Welcome to Atferdssenteret, The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development

Aims, activities and responsibility

The centre is built on three main pillars:

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

Through its activities, the centre shall work towards that children with serious behavioural 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 centre shall be interdisciplinary and integrated and contribute to development of competence and effective family- and community based initiatives to prevent and intervene relations to serious behavioural problems with children.

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

The centres aim is to strengthen the knowledge and raise the competence in work with behavioural problems among children. The centre shall also stimulate interdisciplinary research on this subject and strengthen the connection between research and practice. The centres activities shall build on a interdisciplinary perspective and promote the cooperation between the different occupational groups that are linked to the centre and between researchers with different background and profile. The centre shall engage in research, developmental work, education, counselling and training.
The centre will also engage in education and guidance of occupational groups linked to schools, child welfare and mental health care.

Funding and organisation

The finances come from the Ministry of Children and Family Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Justice and the Police and Ministry of Education and Research (through the Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education ).

The centre is a subsidiary of UniRand Ltd, which is wholly owned by the University of Oslo.

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

• Tore Hansen, Professor, Faculty of Social Science, University of Oslo. Chairman.
• Monica Dalen, Professor, The Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo. Also deputy for the Chairman.
• Erik Gulbrandsen, Manager, UniRand AS.
• Odd Arne Tjersland, Professor, Faculty of Social Science, University of Oslo. Deputy for representatives from University of Oslo and Unirand.
• Egil Larsen, section leader, Øverby Kompetansesenter. Deputy: Anne Thorbjørnsen, Director, Øverby Kompetansesenter.
• Hilde Heggelund, County Committee for Social Affairs in Troms & Finnmark. Deputy: Asbjørn Bøe, County Committee for Social Affairs in Østfold.
• Frid Hansen, Borgestadklinikken. Deputy: May Britt Drugli, deputy manager at The Regional Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Mid-Norway .
• John Kjøbli, Researcher, Atferdssenteret. Employee representative. Deputy: Senior Adviser, Dagfinn Mørkrid Thøgersen