The Norwegian Center For Child Behavioral Development

What The Norwegian Center For Child Behavioral Development does

The Norwegian Center for Child Behavioral Development (Nasjonalt utviklingssenter for barn og unge, NUBU) is a national research and knowledge center that develops, evaluates, and implements evidence-based intervention methods for vulnerable children and youth aged 3-18 with behavioral challenges, their families, and the schools and welfare services that support them. Founded in 2003 as Atferdssenteret under the University of Oslo and rebranded to NUBU in 2017, the organization has been a wholly-owned subsidiary of NORCE Research AS since 2019 and is headquartered in Oslo with approximately 48 employees including six regional coordinators. Its core portfolio comprises six intervention programs operating as a tiered treatment chain: TIBIR (early intervention for ages 3-12), PMTO (Parent Management Training-Oregon), RFT/Relasjonsfokusert familieterapi (family therapy for ages 11-18, formerly FFT), MST (Multisystemic Therapy), the PALS school-wide behavioral framework, and Støtte til mestring (Support for Mastery) for parents of children with anxiety, depression, and behavioral difficulties.

The underlying technology is methodological rather than software-based: each program is a structured behavioral and family-systems intervention adapted to Norwegian conditions, with program ownership giving NUBU control over training, quality assurance, and implementation. NUBU holds documented longitudinal research outputs, including effect sizes of Cohen's d 0.13-0.63 across multiple behavioral measures in studies following over 2,100 children, and operates a national implementation network of 240+ elementary schools, trained municipal PALS advisors, and Bufetat treatment teams.

NUBU's business model is government-funded rather than commercial. Core operations are financed by block funding from the Norwegian Ministry of Children and Families (Barne- og familiedepartementet), administered by Bufdir, with supplementary project grants from Norges forskningsr\u00e5d, Utdanningsdirektoratet, Helsedirektoratet, and Kavlifondet. Services to municipalities and schools are provided at no cost, with municipalities bearing only their own implementation resources; a 22 million NOK contract from Bufdir in 2025 funds a four-year foster-family R&D project. The go-to-market motion is sales-led through direct engagement with municipal and state child welfare services, schools, and the PP-tjenesten educational psychology service.

Name

The Norwegian Center For Child Behavioral Development

Legal name

Nasjonalt utviklingssenter for barn og unge AS

Website

https://www.nubu.no

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NUBU is a Norwegian government-mandated research and knowledge center that develops, evaluates, and implements evidence-based behavioral intervention programs for vulnerable children, youth, and families, delivering them at no cost to municipal and state child welfare, educational, and healthcare services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Youth Behavioral Health Research and Implementation Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based) (EDAKAMAJ), Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB)

Keywords

• Evidence-based interventions
• Child behavioral development
• School-wide positive behavior support
• Family therapy services
• Parent management training

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Block Funding: The center is mainly funded by the Barne- og familiedepartementet (Ministry of Children and Families). The grant is administered by Barne-, ungdoms- og familiedirektoratet (Bufdir). This represents the primary core funding for NUBU's operations.
2. Project-Based Research Grants: NUBU receives allocations for specific projects from Norges forskningsråd (Research Council of Norway), Kavlifondet, Helsedirektoratet, and Utdanningsdirektoratet. These grants fund specific research and development initiatives.
3. Government Contract for R&D Services: In 2025, NUBU was awarded 22 million NOK from Barne-, ungdoms- og familiedirektoratet for a four-year research and development project to develop a guidance program for foster families to reduce unintended moves.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NUBU develops, evaluates, and implements evidence-based intervention methods for vulnerable children and youth with behavioral challenges. Its core offerings include a tiered portfolio of named programs: PALS (school-wide positive behavior framework deployed in 240+ schools), TIBIR (early community-based intervention), PMTO (parent management training), RFT (relationship-focused family therapy), MST (multisystemic therapy), and Støtte til mestring (parent-based support for anxiety/depression). Services are delivered through training of municipal advisors, six regional coordinators, and direct NUBU engagement with municipalities, schools, and state child welfare services.

Product overview

NUBU (Nasjonalt utviklingssenter for barn og unge / The Norwegian Center For Child Behavioral Development) is a research and knowledge center that develops, implements, and evaluates evidence-based interventions for children and youth with serious behavioral challenges, their families, and schools. The organization's portfolio consists of multiple named intervention programs operating within a tiered treatment chain: TIBIR (early intervention for children aged 3–12, comprising five interventions and a mapping module) serves as the entry-level, community-based tier; PMTO (Parent Management Training – Oregon) provides more intensive family-based treatment; RFT (Relasjonsfokusert familieterapi, formerly FFT) targets adolescents aged 11–18 with serious behavioral problems; and MST (Multisystemisk terapi) offers intensive community-based treatment. Additionally, the PALS (Positiv atferd, støttende læringsmiljø og samhandling) school-wide framework is a whole-school model for promoting positive learning environments and reducing behavioral problems across all school levels. NUBU also developed Støtte til mestring, a parent-based intervention for anxiety, depression, and behavioral difficulties. The center operates research projects alongside these programs, including long-term studies such as BONDS (Barnets sosiale utvikling / Children's Social Development). NUBU holds program ownership for PALS and provides national responsibility for its implementation through the Norwegian Directorate for Education and Training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PALS (Positiv atferd, støttende læringsmiljø og samhandling) School-wide intervention model and framework designed to create a positive learning environment, reduce challenging behavior, and include all students in a safe school environment. NUBU holds program ownership and provides training, guidance, quality assurance, and implementation support to municipalities and schools. Consists of systematic preventive measures and two implementation modules (universal, selected, and indicated intervention levels).
• TIBIR (Tidlig innsats for barn i risiko) Community-based program for the prevention and treatment of behavioral problems adapted to the municipal service level. Consists of five different interventions and a mapping module, targeting families with children aged 3-12 who are at risk of or have developed behavioral problems. Includes parent counseling based on PMTO methodology.
• PMTO (Parent Management Training Oregon) Evidence-based treatment model for families with children and adolescents exhibiting behavioral problems, based on training parents in specific interaction and management skills. PMTO and TIBIR together form a treatment chain for families with varying degrees of challenges. Available in both individual and group-based formats.
• RFT (Relasjonsfokusert familieterapi) Relationship-focused family therapy (formerly Functional Family Therapy / FFT) for families where an adolescent aged 11-18 shows concerning behavior that disrupts interaction within the family and/or network. NUBU leads the professional further development and assists treatment teams with training, competence building, and quality assurance. Seven RFT treatment teams established across Bufetat regions and municipal teams.
• Støtte til mestring (Support for Mastery) Parent-based intervention developed and researched at NUBU, targeting parents of children showing signs of anxiety, depression, and behavioral problems, as well as parents needing support in their caregiving role. Content is tailored to each child and family based on what they struggle with most.
• MST (Multisystemisk terapi) Intensive, community-based treatment for youth with serious behavioral problems, delivered in the youth's natural environment including home, school, and community settings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction in behavioral problems: PALS schools showed effect sizes (Cohen's d) of 0.13 to 0.25 for reduced levels of serious and less serious problem behavior in and outside classrooms
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NORCE Research AScoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019In 2019, NUBU became a subsidiary owned by NORCE Research AS. Previously, NUBU was owned by the University of Oslo. NORCE is a research institute that owns multiple research centers and provides institutional support and governance to NUBU as its parent company.
• University of Oslo (Universitetet i Oslo)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003NUBU originated as a research and development center attached to the Department of Psychology at the University of Oslo in 2003. In 2017, the center changed its name to Nasjonalt utviklingssenter for barn og unge (NUBU). The organization maintained close research collaborations with UiO faculty and researchers even after becoming a NORCE subsidiary in 2019.
• University of South CarolinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with researchers at University of South Carolina on studies examining temperament and behavioral problems in children. This international collaboration involved replicating American studies in a Norwegian context.
• University at BuffalominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with researchers at University at Buffalo on studies examining temperament and behavioral problems in children. Part of international research efforts to understand reciprocal relationships between temperament and behavioral challenges.
• Sikt - Kunnskapssektorens tjenesteleverandørcoreTechnology or IntegrationNUBU has an agreement with Sikt for privacy services. Sikt serves as NUBU's data protection officer (personvernombud), providing advice and information about obligations under privacy legislation and checking that NUBU complies with legislation and privacy guidelines.
• Fosterhjemsprogrammet SolidminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNUBU collaborates with external resources that have developed and manage the foster care program 'Solid' from Bufdir. This collaboration is part of a new research and development project to develop guidance for foster families.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• MST Services: MST Services licenses and supports Multisystemic Therapy, one of NUBU's flagship methods. Both are evidence-based behavioral intervention organizations moving between rigorous research, training of practitioners, and quality assurance for high-acuity youth and families.
• RBUP (Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare): Norway's main knowledge center for child and youth mental health and child welfare. RBUP and NUBU share the model of being publicly mandated national competence centers conducting research, training, and implementation support for Norwegian municipal services.
• Oregon Social Learning Center (OSLC): OSLC developed the PMTO model that NUBU implements, adapts, and quality-assures in Norway. Both organizations sit at the intersection of intervention research and national-level implementation support, and NUBU's PMTO program lineage and ongoing research collaboration make OSLC a direct peer.
• Functional Family Therapy LLC: FFT LLC developed Functional Family Therapy, the US-origin method behind NUBU's RFT program. They were previously a direct collaboration partner before NUBU ended the licensing relationship; FFT operates in the same evidence-based family therapy intervention niche.

Broad incumbents

• Child Trends: Child Trends is a larger US non-profit research organization that produces evidence on child and youth wellbeing, programs, and policy. It overlaps with NUBU on rigorous research into vulnerable children, though with a much broader scope.

Emerging players

• Incredible Years: Incredible Years produces parent, teacher, and child training programs for early-onset behavioral problems, closely analogous to NUBU's PMTO and PALS offerings. Both compete for attention within the evidence-based parenting intervention category.
• Triple P International: Triple P develops and licenses evidence-based parenting programs overlapping with NUBU's PMTO/TIBIR/Støtte til mestring portfolio. Both organizations focus on parent-training interventions with documented effects for child behavior problems.

Regional players

• Parenting Research Centre: An Australian non-profit that translates parenting intervention research into practice for government and service systems, mirroring NUBU's research-to-implementation model in a different national context.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user196337606
• Facebookfacebook.com/NUBUnytt
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nubunytt
• Instagraminstagram.com/nubunytt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Norwegian Center For Child Behavioral Development