Institute of Childhood, Youth and Family
Our focus
The Institute of Childhood, Youth and Family looks into issues involving growing up, upbringing, education and socialisation in childhood and adolescence, as well as all related social work activities. These range from early support and ‘early interventions’ at pre-school age to professional and social integration programmes (for example for care leavers).
In addition to the traditional core area of child and youth welfare (residential care, foster care), the Institute also deals with organisations and measures for the protection of children and adults, open forms of youth work and school social work. It also covers parent education, family support measures and adoption issues. A major field of research is the historical study of adoption in Switzerland.
In addition, we develop solutions relating to the impact, planning, financing and guidance of services for children, young people and families.
The Institute focuses on three topics:
- Growing up, upbringing and education
- Child and adult protection
- Socio-pedagogical assistance for children, young people and their families
«Social transformations are presenting children, young people and their families with more and more challenges. The School of Social Work offers answers to the questions that arise as a result. In a socio-pedagogical tradition, it is the problems experienced by adolescents and their families that take centre stage, rather than those who cause them.»
Head of the Institute of Childhood, Youth and Family
Employees at the Institute
The institute’s staff are qualified experts in the domain of childhood, youth and family. Together, they cover the fields of teaching, continuing education, services and consulting, as well as research and development.
Publications
The publications issued as part of their academic work provide an in-depth insight into the topics covered by the individual employees.