Long stays abroad among children and adolescents of immigrant background during Norwegian primary and secondary education

The purpose of the project is to produce knowledge about children and adolescents with longer stays in or out of school abroad during primary and secondary education in Norway. Target groups are children and families of immigrant background, with a particular focus on Pakistan and Somalia. The project will map causes and consequences of such stays for the children in question, their education and their long term integration. The study will also look at consequences of stays abroad for Norwegian schools, and how regulations and routines for following up these children work in practice.

The project consists of four main parts:

1. A quantitative study of the volume, frequency and country of origin for children with stays abroad during primary and secondary school. To map changes over time we will
   

   • replicate Statistics Norway’s study from 2004, which used data from the central population registry about immigration and emigration. The new study will add more origin countries, Somalia in particular, and use newer data. In addition we will use data that tracks child benefits, which are stopped when a child stays abroad for more than six months.

   • The quantitative study will also include information about stays abroad registered by school administrative systems in a selection of municipalities. 

2. The school department’s and schools’ experiences with handling pupil’s stays abroad, before and after such stays. Here we will interview
   

   • Principals and relevant employees at selected case schools.

   • The department of education and municipality and county level education departments.

3. Children/adolescents and parents with experiences from longer stays abroad
   

   • We will interview 16-25 year olds that have had longer stays abroad in or out of school.

   • Parents of children who have had longer stays abroad.

4. A study abroad: Children and parents currently staying abroad
   

   1. Interviewing when staying abroad.

   2. Interviews with relevant schools abroad that have experience with Norwegian pupils

The study will be published as a report in the Institute for Social Research report series in January 2014.