Karmen Toros

Karmen Toros is a Professor of Social Work at Tallinn University's School of Governance, Law and Society, where she has held various academic and leadership roles since 2007, including Senior Research Fellow and Associate Professor. She is a leading scholar in child well-being, social pedagogy, and child protection, with a strong focus on children’s rights and participation in social services.

She earned her Doctorate in 2011 and Master’s in 2003, both from Tallinn University. Her research spans refugee integration, family well-being, digital technology in family life, and crisis response in social work.

Her recent publications highlight Ukrainian refugee children and parents in Estonia, children’s participation in child protection, and the impact of war and pandemics. These works appear in top journals such as Child Abuse & Neglect, Children and Youth Services Review, and Social Work Education, reflecting a strong trend toward qualitative, rights-based, and child-centered research in social work and policy.

• Candidate for the 2025 State Science Award for research on vulnerable children
• 2024 Research Leader Award from Tallinn University
• Member of AcademiaNet (2021)
• Multiple awards for supervising student research
• Recognized for professional work in Georgia (2008)

She has supervised numerous PhD and master’s students, including award-winning theses. She leads the Children and Family Research Group, serves on editorial boards of major journals, and contributes to international research networks and policy working groups. Her administrative roles include heading the Social Protection study field and serving on university councils and ethics committees.

She leads the research project 'Strengthening the CIRIC Research Group' and contributes to national and international initiatives on refugee education and child protection. She frequently gives presentations and organizes seminars and conferences, such as the 2024 'Compass for Workplace Well-being' conference.