Skivenes har vært prosjektleder for en rekke større forskningsprosjekter, herunder “Legitimacy and Fallibility in Child Welfare Services – A Cross-Country Study of Decision-Making” (2012- 2017), “The Norwegian Child Welfare System in a Comparative Perspective" (2010 – 2017), "The Acceptability of Child Protection Interventions: A Cross-Country Analysis" (pågående) og "Discretion and the Child's Best Interest" (pågående).