Godfried van Agthoven

Godfried van Agthoven is a part-time PhD student at Barnafrid, Linköping University (2022-2030), a researcher at Skaraborg Hospital, and a Consultant in Adolescent Medicine at Child Protection Team Västra Götaland. He co-founded Barnahus Skaraborg and Child Protection Team Västra Götaland, focusing on vulnerable children exposed to abuse and neglect. He chairs the Ethics Committee at the Swedish Paediatric Society (2025) and previously served on the board of the Association for Children Abuse and Neglect (2016-2023).

Education & Teaching

He teaches specialized courses including:

• Violence Against Children (Linköping University, 2023-2025)
• Pediatric Obesity Management (Karolinska Institutet, 2025)
• Child Protection Curriculum (University of Gothenburg, 2025)

Research Focus

His research examines health disparities among children in state care, ICD coding practices for maltreatment documentation, and systemic improvements for child protection services. He employs interdisciplinary approaches spanning clinical pediatrics, social work, and health policy.

Affiliations & Collaborations

He works within Barnafrid—a national center on violence against children—and collaborates with researchers including Laura Korhonen (Professor), Gabriel Otterman (Adjunct Associate Professor), and doctoral candidates at Linköping University's Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences.