Merete Havre

Merete Havre is a Professor at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), affiliated with the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Department of Social Work, Child Welfare and Social Policy. Her research is centered on legal frameworks in child welfare, human rights, and administrative law, with a special focus on the balance between care and coercion.

Her research interests include public law, international human rights law, child welfare and social authorities, asylum-seeking minors, pre-trial detention, and administrative law. She critically examines the use of compulsion in care settings, particularly in institutions for youth with drug addiction or those placed alone. Her work emphasizes legal safeguards, proportionality, and children’s rights.

The recent publications reflect a consistent focus on the intersection of law, care, and human rights. Themes include the proportionality principle in administrative interventions, legal basis requirements for restrictive care measures, and the harmonization of child welfare and criminal justice measures. Her work combines doctrinal legal analysis with policy impact, particularly in Norwegian law and practice.

She is a member of the Children, Families, Law and Social Work (CLAWSO) research group and has contributed to official research reports commissioned by government bodies, such as the Norwegian Ministry of Children and Families. Her dissemination activities include public lectures, seminars, and commentaries in legal and social work forums.