Zacky Dhaffa Pratama

Social Sciences 15(1) Doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci15010030

This comparative study, the first to date, examines how representative samples of citizens across 40 OECD countries (N = 41,232) balance religion and child welfare when deciding whether to move a five-year-old thriving in foster care to match parental religion. Using a vignette experiment and six hypotheses, the analysis links religiosity, perceived religious rights, authoritarian values, institutional context, and confidence in child protection to placement preferences. A large majority (88%) would not move the child, prioritising stability and well-being. The results show a trust “paradox” in which higher confidence in child protection correlates with support for moving the child. Justifications show broad appeal to the best interest principle across opposing choices. Deference to professional assessment varies markedly across countries, indicating divergent authority of social work expertise. Findings underscore the need to operationalise the best interests standard and to account for institutional context, while policymakers should recognise stable placements as the public default.

A Study on Child Protection and Foster Care in Norway

In connection with a research visit from Shoko Tokunaga (Waseda University), Misa Saigo (Waseda University), Hiroyasu Hayashi (Japan Women's University) & Juri Kubo Nihon (Fukushi University). The following four DIPA researchers presented: Monday 09.03: Marit Skivenes: The Welfare state and the child protection system Mathea Loen: The importance of confidence in the child protection system Zacky Dhaffa Pratama: Justifications for terminating parental rights Wednesday 11.03: Hege Stein Helland: Children’s views in decisions on adoption from state care: An analysis of judicial decisions from four decades

Bergen Exchanges on Law and Social Transformation

The child rights part of the Bergen Exchanges program is a collaboration with DIPA (the University of Bergen Department of Goverment’s Centre for Research on discretion and paternalism). DIPA presented the following: Constitutionalizing children’s rights: Symbolic messaging or material meaning? Keynote: Jill Berrick Moderator: Larissa Margarido (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz) Comments by: Stefan Schnurr (FHNW) and Tarja Pösö (University of Tampere) Children’s participation and access to justice (Roundtable) Moderator: Mathea Loen (University of Bergen) Panel: Hege Helland (University of Bergen); Frøydis Lønborg Haarberg (University of Bergen); Camila Villarroel (Fundação Getulio Vargas, FGV); Larissa Margarido (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz) Child Protection and the European Court of Human Rights (Booklaunch & Roundtable) Moderator: Marit Skivenes (University of Bergen) Presenters: Hege Helland (University of Bergen); Neil Datta (EFP); Asgeir Falch-Eriksen (OsloMet University) Tarja Pösö (Tampere University) Commentator: Christian B Sørensen (Child Welfare Tribunal) The particularity of the universal – A comparison of national apex courts appliance of the universal principle in the best interest of the child Keynote: Jørn Øyrehagen Sunde Moderator: Lucie Ducarre (University of Bergen) Commentators: Lise Gro Søreide (Hordaland District Court), Anne Sanders (University of Bielefeld)

Bergen Exchanges 2025

EUSARF2025 - Transformation, Transition and Innovation in Child Welfare

Zacky Dhaffa Pratama, Jill Duerr Berrick and Marit Skivenes presented three papers at the 2025 EUSARF conference: International perspectives on children’s care - Public Confidence in Courts: A Cross-National Study of Public Support» by Ms. Mathea Loen, Prof. Siri Gloppen, Prof. Marit Skivenes (Presented by Prof. Marit Skivenes) International perspectives on children’s care – Visibility of child protection in national constitutions» by Prof. Marit Skivenes, Prof. Jill Duerr Berrick, Prof. Siri Gloppen (Presented by Prof. Jill Duerr Berrick) International perspectives on children’s care - Childhood Obesity, Child Protection, and Government Responsibility by Prof. Jill Duerr Berrick, Prof. Marit Skivenes, Mr. Zacky Dhaffa Pratama (Presented by Zacky Dhaffa Pratama)