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Illustration of two teenagers hugging
Illustration of two teenagers hugging
Your knowledge makes a difference!

National centre for knowledge on violence against children

Barnafrid is a national knowledge center with the task of collecting and disseminating knowledge about violence and other abuses against children.

Your knowledge makes a difference!

35 000

users of Barnafrid's core curriculum on violence against children and young people.

5 800

participants signed up for Barnafrid events and training activities in 2024.

4,8 of 6

in the average rating of the overall experience of Barnafrid events in 2024.

News

Black and white portrait of a man.

He exposed Macchiarini – and now becomes honorary doctor

The journalist who uncovered the Macchiarini scandal, a Kenyan elite runner who sets up schools in the slums and one of Canada’s most internationally recognised interdisciplinary researchers. These are some of the people awarded honorary doctorates.
Johan Andersson is presenting his study on mental health among children and young people with refugee backgrounds in Sweden.

Four mental health profiles among young people with refugee backgrounds.

How are children and young adults who have fled their homes doing? A new study shows that mental health varies greatly – from good health to serious distress. Four profiles provide guidance for more targeted interventions.
Over the shoulder perspective of a girl holding a handbook.

New handbook will contribute to increased participation and inclusion of children and young people

Barnafrid has produced a handbook that provides guidance and tips on how professionals can involve children and young people in their work.
Group picture of people involved in NGO:s working for rebulding future in Ukraine.

Mingle opportunity for NGOs in Ukraine and Sweden

Barnafrid was one of several participants when the association Framtidståget invited to a networking event in Stockholm on 18 March. The theme of the event was ‘Voices United - Rebuilding future in Ukraine’.
A girl is holding a drawing with colorful figures in front of her face.

A childhood free from violence

On January 18, the investigation "A childhood free from violence" submitted its report to the government. The investigation has been tasked with developing a national strategy to prevent and combat violence against children.
Two women at a table.

Barnafrid supports war-torn Ukraine

Those working to help traumatised children in Ukraine are themselves in great need of support. Barnafrid at LiU, has been commissioned by the government to assist with working procedures and methods.

Research at Barnafrid

Barnafrid conducts its own operational and interdisciplinary research on violence and other abuses against children and young people. Also in collaboration with external researchers and universities.

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The long journey

The aim of the research project The Long Journey is to better understand the situation of children who come to Sweden as refugees, and what they need in order to thrive.
Two children walking along a road with their back turned to the camera.

Recruitment, assessment and collaboration in foster home care

The rights of children to stable foster care placements has lately been emphasised. At the same time there is a shortage. Why is that so and what can bed done about it? We want to find possible answers and address current and future challenges.

Latest publications

2026

Mimmi Fast, Carl Goran Svedin, Marie Bladh, Linda S. Jonsson, Asa Landberg, Cecilia Fredlund (2026) Self-reported prevalence and correlates of sex as self-injury in a Swedish high school population European Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-026-03107-2
Berit Gustafsson, Magnus Ivarsson, Henrik Danielsson, Marie Proczkowska (2026) Structural validity of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ, educator version) in Swedish preschool Nordic Journal of Psychiatry (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08039488.2026.2704058
Azadé Azad, Johanna Carlsson (2026) "I just want a normal life with a good education": Future expectations and goals in education and employment expressed by delinquent young females Youth Justice (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1177/14732254261453208
Hedvig Andersson, Erik Aspeqvist, Laura Korhonen, Berit Gustafsson, Maria Zetterqvist (2026) Everyone should get to know that it's okay to feel bad: adolescents' and parents' experiences of participating in a preventive emotion regulation skills training in a Swedish school setting - a qualitative study International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, Vol. 21, Article 2679416 (Article in journal) https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2026.2679416

Thesis

Cover of publication 'Resilience, mental health, and exposure to violence among individuals with former or current experiences of being a refugee in Sweden: quantitative and qualitative studies'
Erica Mattelin (2024)
Resilience, mental health, and exposure to violence among individuals with former or current experiences of being a refugee in Sweden: quantitative and qualitative studies
Front page Doctor Thesis by Rikard Tordön
Rikard Tordön (2020)
Health, Experienced Support and School Performance among Children in Out-of-home care
Cover of publication 'Adolescents Selling Sex and Sex as Self-Injury'
Cecilia Fredlund (2019)
Adolescents Selling Sex and Sex as Self-Injury

Knowledge exchange in support of Ukraine's children and young people

Map of Ukraine marked with a flag

Exchange of knowledge in support of Ukraine's children and youth

The Swedish Government has mandated Barnafrid to increase access to effective support for children and young people with trauma symptoms resulting from violence and traumatic experiences.

International collaborations

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Multi-sectoral Responses to Child Abuse and Neglect in Europe

Multi-Sectoral Responses to Child Abuse and Neglect in Europe (Euro-CAN) is a COST Action network project with participants from several European countries.
Children's hands paint a house with crayons.

Journeys - Safe and Informed Journeys through Barnahus

The overall objective of the JOURNEYS project is to contribute to improved access to child-friendly justice, protection and recovery for child victims and their families.
Logotype TICANDTAC

TICANDAC

The TICANDAC project, a German-Swedish collaboration, aims to contribute to the prevention of all forms of violence against children by supporting and improving national data collection.