On 1 October 2012, Prof. M.E. (Margrite) Kalverboer will become professor by special appointment in ‘Child, Pedagogy and Migration Law’, a chair funded by the Stichting Nidos, at the Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences of the University of Groningen. Kalverboer is a remedial educationalist and lawyer and works at the department of Orthopedagogy. She is also linked to the newly established Onderzoeks- en Expertisecentrum voor Kinderen en Vreemdelingenrecht [Research and expertise centre for child and migration law], which is affiliated to the Ambulatorium of that department.

Kalverboer’s research focuses on questions such as how the legal interests of the child should be interpreted and weighed in pedagogical terms within immigration procedures involving unaccompanied and other minors in the Netherlands and abroad. Attention is also paid to ethical-social dilemmas, such as how the interests of children relate to those of governments in decision-making procedures. In addition, she aims to investigate how healthcare and social care for refugee children can be improved. Knowledge acquired in actual practice and from national and international academic research will be used in proposing improvements to this care.

Margrite Kalverboer (Groningen, 1960) studied Orthopedagogy at the University of Groningen and gained her doctoraal degree in 1987. In 1996 she was awarded a PhD by the same university for research into the reports of the Child Care and Protection Board, Northern Division, on very serious educational and care problems. Kalverboer then went on to work as a behavioural scientist and head of the Educational Policy and Treatment department at Het Poortje young offenders’ institution in Groningen. She combined this position with that of lecturer at the department of Orthopedagogy of the University of Groningen. In 2002 she transferred completely to the University, combining an appointment as lecturer/researcher at the Orthopedagogy department with studying for a degree in Dutch Law. She graduated in 2007 as a private law expert, specializing in the rights of children in relation to the various areas of law that may affect children. Since then she has conducted research into the development of the legal position of children in civil law, juvenile criminal law, and particularly in migration law. Since May 2012 she has headed the Onderzoeks - en Expertisecentrum voor Kinderen en Vreemdelingenrecht [Research and expertise centre for child and migration law], which was funded by the Stichting tot Steun Nederland [Dutch Support Foundation] and aims to develop knowledge about children who are affected by Dutch and European migration law and about their participation in legal procedures. Methodologies are being developed for the implementation of orthopedagogical diagnostic research and for offering help and support to these children. Students also participate in the Expertise Centre’s activities.