Föruneyti barna

Í fimmta sinn vorum við hjá Föruneyti barna með fulltrúa á ráðstefnu um Innleiðingu og rannsóknir á Inngripum fyrir börn og fjölskyldur byggðum á rannsóknum. Ráðstefnan var að þessu sinni í Bergen og voru fulltrúar frá 10. öðrum löndum mörg að innleiða einnig Invest in play foreldraprógrammið.

International Forum for Implementation and Research on Evidence-Based Interventions for Children
📍 Bergen, Norway, March 2026🇳🇴

In early March, colleagues from across Europe came together in Bergen to focus on something we all grapple with: how to move evidence-based interventions from promising ideas to sustainable, real-world impact.

Day one was more about the practical side of implementation.
🧡We explored recruitment of organisations - because scaling begins with the right partners - including insights from Jonas Friedrichsen from Center for ADHD on using stepped care models and data to scale interventions in Denmark.

🧡We heard about communication strategies for spreading evidence-based interventions (Elin Møller, DK), the use of testimonial videos to strengthen engagement (Caroline White, UK), and how the new Norwegian iiP website supports national implementation tracking (Oddbjørn Løndal, NO).

🧡We shared experiences from Slovenia delivering the IY Autism & Language Delays Programme (Urška Štibler, SVN).

🧡 And finally, we heard about lessons learned from engaging low-income families through the New Patterns project. by Tormod Bøe from RKBU Vest and NORCE, Norway.

Day two zoomed out to the bigger picture:
🧡Horizon Europe and EU funding priorities for 2026–27 and beyond.
How to position this European network for long-term sustainability and influence.
Building alliances across health and child sectors.
These updates and talks were led by Tobias Bade Strøm, EU Strategy Adviser for NORCE and Sofia Anderholm Strand, The Research Council of Norway.

🧡We learned from the INTEGRATED project, combining financial well-being support with the iiP parenting programme by Nick Axford, University of Plymouth, UK.

🧡And finally we got updates on the iiP Autism Module and Teacher Programme from Line Møller, DK and Jamila Reid, USA.

In short: implementation science meets policy strategy - grounded in real-world learning.
Because evidence-based programmes do not implement themselves. They require partnerships, infrastructure, data systems, funding pathways and people prepared to think strategically and long-term.

Two thoughtful and collaborative days in Norway. Thank you to RKBU Vest, NORCE and Bjørn Brunborg for hosting.🧡

Frábærar fréttir!

New Research from Norway on the iiP® Parent Programme 🇳🇴

We are delighted to share that the LEK study, a national research project in Norway, is now examining the impact of the invest in play® Parent Programme.

The LEK study is a Norwegian research project examining the impact of the invest in play® Parent Programme. The programme is designed for parents of children aged 2–12 years and is delivered over 12 weeks in a group format. During the sessions, parents receive practical training in positive interactions and everyday problem-solving - skills that can make family life both calmer and more connected.

The study is being conducted at child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics (BUP) across Norway focusing on children aged 6-12 years. Participants are randomly assigned to either iiP or treatment as usual, ensuring a robust and reliable comparison.

The goal is clear: to explore whether iiP can strengthen parenting skills, reduce parental stress, and improve children’s behaviour and overall well-being.

The project is a collaboration between the three Regional Centres for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare in North, Central Norway and West - a strong example of Norwegian national partnership around research and practice.🧡

The Norwegian research group consists of Lene-Mari Potulski Rasmussen, Therese Halvorsen, Jannike Kaasbøll, Ragnhild Bjørknes and Marit Hjellset Larsen.

invest in play builds on more than 50 years of theory and research in parent and teacher training, which has provided substantial knowledge about preventing and reducing children’s challenging behaviours while strengthening social and emotional resilience.

At the same time, we know that it is essential to continue building our own evidence base. That is why we are particularly excited to follow the Norwegian study, alongside other iiP research projects currently taking place internationally.

Because good programmes should never stand still - they should keep learning too.

If youd like to read more about research on iiP Programmes, you can do so here:
https://learning.investinplay.com/research/

iiP® Supervisor Training – Strengthening Support Where It Matters Most🧡

Last week we spent a fantastic few days with a group of thoughtful, skilled and genuinely passionate professionals at the international invest in play® Supervisor Training led by Caroline White.

And what a group they were.

They are now ready to step into their new roles as iiP Supervisors - supporting facilitators through reflective, high-quality supervision and helping ensure the iiP Programme is delivered with confidence and strong fidelity.

Why all the focus on supervision?

Because it really matters. Research shows that facilitators who receive regular supervision achieve better outcomes for the families they support. In other words, when we invest in the people delivering programmes, families benefit too.

Developing local supervisors is not just another training step - it is how we build sustainable services. It strengthens local capacity, makes supervision more accessible, and helps maintain quality over time.

If you would like to learn more about the iiP Training Pathway, you can explore it here:
https://learning.investinplay.com/training/

Alþjóðleg ráðstefna fór fram í Slóveníu fyrr í mánuðinum. Ísland átti fjóra fulltrúa á ráðstefnunni: Elsu Borg, verkefnastjóra, og Andreu Önnu, sérfræðing frá MMS, ásamt Lóu Guðrúnu Gísladóttur doktorsnema og handleiðara hennar, Ragnýju frá Háskóla Íslands. Þær stýra rannsókn á áhrifum foreldranámskeiðanna Tengjumst í leik.

Big Ideas, Bright Minds & Brilliant Company in Slovenia 🇸🇮

What an incredible week invest in play® had in beautiful Ljubljana, Slovenia. 🧡

We were thrilled to take part in the International Forum on Implementation and Research of Evidence-Based Interventions for Children — two inspiring days where big ideas met real-world practice.

Participants from 10+ countries came together to share experiences, research, and fresh perspectives on how to make evidence-based programmes for children even more effective and accessible. Topics ranged from co-creation and cultural adaptation, to implementation lessons from Norway and the US, good practice in the Netherlands, and the inspiring Changing Lives Initiative. 🌍✨

But what truly made the week special were the people — the great conversations over coffee, the laughter between sessions, and the evening strolls through Ljubljana’s beautiful cobbled streets. There was so much generosity in sharing experiences and perspectives from each country’s iiP® journey.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined, contributed, and made these days so meaningful — and to our wonderful Slovenian hosts for their warmth, hospitality, and perfect organisation.

And of course, congratulations once again to Slovenia, celebrating 10 years of parenting programmes — a fantastic milestone for families and communities. 🧡

Cannot wait to see everyone again in Bergen this spring. More ideas, more laughter, and plenty of inspiration ahead — see you there! 🇳🇴

Lóa Guðrún Gísladóttir doktorsnemi er með erindið Foreldrafræðslan Tengjumst í leik (e. invest in play): Farsæld í skólastarfi á Menntakviku í Sögu á föstudaginn. Hvetjum áhugasama til að fylgjast með. Það er bæði hægt að vera á staðnum og í fjar:

OA Virtual conferences

,,Með fjárfestingu í foreldrum og forsjáraðilum og öflugu samstarfi heimila og skóla leggjum við grunn að farsælli framtíð barna okkar og eflum skuldbindingu samfélagsins um að velferð barna sé í forgangi"

Tengjumst í leik – foreldrar 300 barna efla samskipti í haust Tengjumst í leik foreldranámskeið á vegum Föruneytis barna hefjast í leik- og grunnskólum þessar fyrstu haustvikur í þriðja sinn. Foreldrar og forsjáraðilar um 300 barna víðsvegar um landið taka þátt og markar þessi umfangsmikla þátttaka mikilvægt skref í átt að bættri fars...

Amazing🫶

„Við getum valið að fjárfesta í farsæld, eða greiða fyrir afleiðingarnar.”

„Goldman Sachs fjárfestingabankinn, sem varla er þekktur fyrir mannúðarstarfsemi, fjárfesti nýlega í verkefni sem kennir ungum foreldrum foreldrafærni.

*Af hverju? Vegna þess að bankinn fær sjö dollara til baka fyrir hvern dollara sem hann fjárfestir.*

Þessir aðilar hafa reiknað dæmið til enda: Að fjárfesta í s*x ára barni er betri fjárfesting en að borga fyrir flókinn vanda s*xtán ára unglings.“

Fjár­festum í fyrsta bekk, frekar en fangelsum - Vísir Íslenska ríkið og sveitarfélögin eyða um 100 milljörðum króna árlega í að "laga" afleiðingar þess að við gripum ekki börn í vanda nógu snemma. Þetta er næstum þrjú prósent af vergri landsframleiðslu, svipuð upphæð og öll framlög ríkisins til vegamála, löggæslu og d....

Þriðja þjálfun leiðbeinenda í að halda Tengjumst í leik foreldrahópa fór fram í síðustu viku og gekk einstaklega vel. Leiðbeinendur komu frá Suðurnesjabæ, Kópavogi, Akranesi og Reykjavík.

Siri Gammelsætter frá invest in play kom til okkar frá Noregi og þjálfaði leiðbeinendur ásamt Andreu Önnu og Elsu Borg sem eru þjálfaranemar.

Það var vel hugsað um okkur í Hannesarholt og eru leiðbeinendur einstaklega spenntir að fara af stað með foreldrahópa.

Hefur þitt sveitarfélag áhuga á að taka þátt í verkefninu? Hafðu samband við [email protected]

Það er okkur mikil ánægja að deila með ykkur að nú má finna helstu upplýsingar um verkefnið á heimasíðu Miðstöð menntunar og skólaþjónustu:

Föruneyti barna | Miðstöð menntunar og skólaþjónustu Ísland.is er upplýsinga- og þjónustuveita opinberra aðila á Íslandi. Þar getur fólk og fyrirtæki fengið upplýsingar og notið margvíslegrar þjónustu hjá opinberum aðilum á einum stað í gegnum eina gátt.