Astrid Halsa

Astrid Halsa serves as Associate Professor and Study Program Manager for the Master's in Interdisciplinary Work with Children and Young People and Master's in Child Welfare at the University of Inland Norway's Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Based at the Lillehammer campus within the Section for Master in Social Work, she teaches courses on child welfare work, children and families, and preventive social interventions.

Her research concentrates on critical child welfare domains including children as relatives in challenging family contexts, welfare service systems, youth disengagement from education and employment, and the impacts of parental substance abuse and mental health issues. Analyzing her recent publications reveals consistent methodological preference for qualitative approaches—particularly narrative and phenomenological methods—to explore meaning-making processes, identity formation, and systemic barriers within vulnerable family systems. Her work demonstrates strong alignment with Nordic welfare models while addressing universal challenges in child protection.

Halsa actively contributes to scholarly discourse through publications with major Nordic presses like Cappelen Damm Akademisk, focusing on practical applications for social work professionals. Her research directly informs Norwegian child welfare policy and practice, particularly regarding family-centered interventions and youth transition support.

As Study Program Manager, she oversees curriculum development for specialized master's programs preparing professionals for complex child welfare roles. Her academic leadership extends to collaborative projects like POSTOUT and research groups focused on child upbringing and socialization. While specific grant details aren't public, her extensive publication record in high-impact Nordic journals indicates sustained research funding.

Her work occurs within the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences' child welfare research environment, collaborating with institutions across Norway's welfare sector. Current projects appear focused on youth transitions from institutional care and intergenerational transmission of substance abuse challenges.