"You child is just wonderful!”
On ethics and access in research with children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v8i2.101Abstract
This article discuss the consequences of the ambiguous view of children in the ethical guidelines – the ambitions to “give voice” while also “protect” – with a point of departure taken in the Swedish context, and in an actual research process of a project on children and care. It shows how the regulation of informed consent through the parent compromises the ideals of child-centred research; firstly, by limiting the child’s possibility to opt in to research; secondly, by affecting the relationship between researcher, child and parent in the research encounter; and thirdly, by jeopardizing the child’s right to confidentiality. The author argues that we should view not only the child’s but also the adult’s consent as a “continuous negotiation” and discusses strategies for strengthening the child’s right to opt in and participate in research on equal terms.
References
The Act concerning the Ethical Review of Research Involving Humans, Sweden 2003:460 (EPL). http://www.epn.se/media/45159/the_etical_review_act.pdf [accessed 30 June 2012].
Alanen, L. (1992). Modern childhood? Exploring the ‘child question’ in Sociology. University of Jyväskylä: Jyväskylä.
Alderson, P. (1995). Listening to Children: Children, Ethics, and Social Research. Barnardos: London.
Balen, R., Blyth, E., Calabretto, H., Fraser, C., Horrocks, C., & Manby, M. (2006). Involving Children in Health and Social Research: ‘Human Becomings’ or ‘Active Beings’? Childhood 13 (1): 29-48.
Brannen, J. (1999). Reconsidering Children and Childhood: Sociological and Policy Perspectives. In The New Family? E. Silva & C. Smart (Eds.), Sage: London.
Brannen, J., Hepinstall, E., & Bhopal, K. (2000). Connecting children: Care and family life in later childhood. Routledge: London.
British Sociological Association (BSA) (2002). http://www.britsoc.co.uk/about/equality/statement-of-ethical-practice.aspx [accessed 16 November 2012].
The Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) (summary) (1989). http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf [accessed 30 June 2012].
Christensen, P., & James, A. (2008). Introduction: Researching children and childhood cultures of communication. In Research with Children: Perspectives and Practices, P. Christensen & A. James (Eds.), Falmer Press: London.
Christensen, P., & Prout, A. (2002). Working with ethical symmetry in social research with children. Childhood 9: 477-497.
Cocks, A. J. (2006). The ethical maze: Finding an inclusive path towards gaining children’s agreement to research participation. Childhood 13: 247-266.
Coyne, I. (2009). Research with Children and Young People: The Issue of Parental (Proxy) Consent. Children & Society 24: 227-237.
Danby, S., & Farrell, A. (2005). Opening the research conversation. In Ethical Research with Children, A. Farrell (Ed.), Open University Press: Maidenhead, Berkshire.
Davies, H. (2008). Reflexivity in Research Practice: Informed Consent with Children at School and at Home. Sociological Research Online 13(4)5. http://www.socresonline.org.uk/13/4/5.html
Donzelot, J. (1979/1997). The Policing of Families. John Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Eldén, S. (2013). Inviting the messy: Drawing methods and childrens’ ‘voices’. Childhood 20(1): 66–81.
Eldén, S. in press. Bortom kärnfamiljen? Omsorgsgörande från barns perspektiv. Kvinder, køn og forskning.
Eriksson, M., & Näsman, E. (2012). Interviews with Children Exposed to Violence. Children & Society 26: 63-73.
Gallagher, M., Haywood, S., Jones, M., & Milne, S. (2010). Negotiating Informed Consent with Children in School-Based Research: A Critical Review. Children & Society 24: 471‐82.
James, A. (2007). Giving voice to children’s voices: Practices and problems, pitfalls and potentials. American Anthropologist 109(2): 261-272.
Johansson, T. (2007). Experthysteri: Kompetenta barn, curlingföräldrar och supernannies. Atlas: Stockholm.
Komulainen, S. (2007). The ambiguity of the child’s ‘voice’ in social research. Childhood 14(1):11–28.
Lewis, A. (2010). Silence in the context of ‘child voice’. Children and Society 24(1): 14–23.
Lindgren, A-L., & Halldén, G. (2001). Individuella rättigheter; autonomi och beroende. Olika synsätt på barn i relation till FN:s barnkonvention. In Utbildning & Demokrati 10(2), 65-80.
Mason, J., & Fallon, J. (2001). Some Sydney Children Define Abuse: Implications for Agency in Childhood. In Conceptualizing Child-Adult Relations, L. Alanen & B. Mayall (Eds.), Routledge: London.
Mason, J., & Tipper B. (2008). Being Related: How Children Define and Create Kinship. Childhood 15(4): 441-460.
Mayall, B. (Ed.) (1994). Children’s Childhoods Observed and Experienced. Falmer Press: London.
Mayall, B. (2002). Towards a Sociology of Childhood: Thinking from Children’s Lives. Open University: Buckingham.
Morgan, D. (1996). Family Connections. An Introduction to Family Studies. Cambridge: Polity Press.
National Children’s Bureau (NCB) (2011). http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/434791/guidelines_for_research_with_cyp.pdf [accessed 16 November 2012].
Näsman, E., Källström Carter, Å., & Eriksson, M. (2008). Perspektiv på barns röster om våld. In Barns röster om våld, M. Eriksson (Ed.), Malmö: Gleerups.
Roseneil, S., & Budgeon, S. (2004). Cultures of Intimacy and Care beyond ‘the Family’. Current Sociology 52:2, 135-159.
Sandin, B. (2012). Children and the Swedish Welfare State: From Different to Similar. In Reinventing Childhood After World War II, P. Fass & M. Grossberg (Eds.), University of Pennsylvania Press: Pennsylvania.
Skeggs, B. (1997). Formations of Class and Gender. Sage: London. Smart, C., & Silva, E. B. (Eds.) (1999). The New Family? Sage: London.
Smart, C., Neal, B., & Wade, A. (2001). The changing experience of childhood. Blackwell Publisher: Malden.
Smart, C. (2007). Personal Life. New Directions in Sociological Thinking. Polity Press: Cambridge.
Smart, C. (2009). Shifting horizons: Reflections on qualitative methods. Feminist Theory 10(3): 295–308.
Spyrou, S. (2011). The limits of children’s voice: From authenticity to critical, reflexive representation. Childhood 18(2): 151–165.
Uprichard, E. (2010). Questioning research with children: Discrepancy between theory and practice. Children and Society 24: 3–13.
van Every, J. (1999). From Modern Nuclear Family Household to Postmodern Diversity? The Sociological Construction of ‘Families’. In Changing Family Values, G. Jagger & C. Wright (Eds.), Routledge: London.
Wihstutz, A. (2011). Working vulnerability: Agency of caring children and children’s rights. Childhood 18(4): 447-459.
Wyness, M. (2006). Childhood and Society: An Introduction to Sociology of Childhood. Palgrave Macmillan: London.
Young People Creating Belonging: Spaces, Sounds and Sight” – project (ESRC RES-061-25-0501; 2010-2013, Dr. Sarah Wilson): http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my- esrc/grants/RES-061-25-0501/read
Alanen, L. (1992). Modern childhood? Exploring the ‘child question’ in Sociology. University of Jyväskylä: Jyväskylä.
Alderson, P. (1995). Listening to Children: Children, Ethics, and Social Research. Barnardos: London.
Balen, R., Blyth, E., Calabretto, H., Fraser, C., Horrocks, C., & Manby, M. (2006). Involving Children in Health and Social Research: ‘Human Becomings’ or ‘Active Beings’? Childhood 13 (1): 29-48.
Brannen, J. (1999). Reconsidering Children and Childhood: Sociological and Policy Perspectives. In The New Family? E. Silva & C. Smart (Eds.), Sage: London.
Brannen, J., Hepinstall, E., & Bhopal, K. (2000). Connecting children: Care and family life in later childhood. Routledge: London.
British Sociological Association (BSA) (2002). http://www.britsoc.co.uk/about/equality/statement-of-ethical-practice.aspx [accessed 16 November 2012].
The Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) (summary) (1989). http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf [accessed 30 June 2012].
Christensen, P., & James, A. (2008). Introduction: Researching children and childhood cultures of communication. In Research with Children: Perspectives and Practices, P. Christensen & A. James (Eds.), Falmer Press: London.
Christensen, P., & Prout, A. (2002). Working with ethical symmetry in social research with children. Childhood 9: 477-497.
Cocks, A. J. (2006). The ethical maze: Finding an inclusive path towards gaining children’s agreement to research participation. Childhood 13: 247-266.
Coyne, I. (2009). Research with Children and Young People: The Issue of Parental (Proxy) Consent. Children & Society 24: 227-237.
Danby, S., & Farrell, A. (2005). Opening the research conversation. In Ethical Research with Children, A. Farrell (Ed.), Open University Press: Maidenhead, Berkshire.
Davies, H. (2008). Reflexivity in Research Practice: Informed Consent with Children at School and at Home. Sociological Research Online 13(4)5. http://www.socresonline.org.uk/13/4/5.html
Donzelot, J. (1979/1997). The Policing of Families. John Hopkins University Press: Baltimore.
Eldén, S. (2013). Inviting the messy: Drawing methods and childrens’ ‘voices’. Childhood 20(1): 66–81.
Eldén, S. in press. Bortom kärnfamiljen? Omsorgsgörande från barns perspektiv. Kvinder, køn og forskning.
Eriksson, M., & Näsman, E. (2012). Interviews with Children Exposed to Violence. Children & Society 26: 63-73.
Gallagher, M., Haywood, S., Jones, M., & Milne, S. (2010). Negotiating Informed Consent with Children in School-Based Research: A Critical Review. Children & Society 24: 471‐82.
James, A. (2007). Giving voice to children’s voices: Practices and problems, pitfalls and potentials. American Anthropologist 109(2): 261-272.
Johansson, T. (2007). Experthysteri: Kompetenta barn, curlingföräldrar och supernannies. Atlas: Stockholm.
Komulainen, S. (2007). The ambiguity of the child’s ‘voice’ in social research. Childhood 14(1):11–28.
Lewis, A. (2010). Silence in the context of ‘child voice’. Children and Society 24(1): 14–23.
Lindgren, A-L., & Halldén, G. (2001). Individuella rättigheter; autonomi och beroende. Olika synsätt på barn i relation till FN:s barnkonvention. In Utbildning & Demokrati 10(2), 65-80.
Mason, J., & Fallon, J. (2001). Some Sydney Children Define Abuse: Implications for Agency in Childhood. In Conceptualizing Child-Adult Relations, L. Alanen & B. Mayall (Eds.), Routledge: London.
Mason, J., & Tipper B. (2008). Being Related: How Children Define and Create Kinship. Childhood 15(4): 441-460.
Mayall, B. (Ed.) (1994). Children’s Childhoods Observed and Experienced. Falmer Press: London.
Mayall, B. (2002). Towards a Sociology of Childhood: Thinking from Children’s Lives. Open University: Buckingham.
Morgan, D. (1996). Family Connections. An Introduction to Family Studies. Cambridge: Polity Press.
National Children’s Bureau (NCB) (2011). http://www.ncb.org.uk/media/434791/guidelines_for_research_with_cyp.pdf [accessed 16 November 2012].
Näsman, E., Källström Carter, Å., & Eriksson, M. (2008). Perspektiv på barns röster om våld. In Barns röster om våld, M. Eriksson (Ed.), Malmö: Gleerups.
Roseneil, S., & Budgeon, S. (2004). Cultures of Intimacy and Care beyond ‘the Family’. Current Sociology 52:2, 135-159.
Sandin, B. (2012). Children and the Swedish Welfare State: From Different to Similar. In Reinventing Childhood After World War II, P. Fass & M. Grossberg (Eds.), University of Pennsylvania Press: Pennsylvania.
Skeggs, B. (1997). Formations of Class and Gender. Sage: London. Smart, C., & Silva, E. B. (Eds.) (1999). The New Family? Sage: London.
Smart, C., Neal, B., & Wade, A. (2001). The changing experience of childhood. Blackwell Publisher: Malden.
Smart, C. (2007). Personal Life. New Directions in Sociological Thinking. Polity Press: Cambridge.
Smart, C. (2009). Shifting horizons: Reflections on qualitative methods. Feminist Theory 10(3): 295–308.
Spyrou, S. (2011). The limits of children’s voice: From authenticity to critical, reflexive representation. Childhood 18(2): 151–165.
Uprichard, E. (2010). Questioning research with children: Discrepancy between theory and practice. Children and Society 24: 3–13.
van Every, J. (1999). From Modern Nuclear Family Household to Postmodern Diversity? The Sociological Construction of ‘Families’. In Changing Family Values, G. Jagger & C. Wright (Eds.), Routledge: London.
Wihstutz, A. (2011). Working vulnerability: Agency of caring children and children’s rights. Childhood 18(4): 447-459.
Wyness, M. (2006). Childhood and Society: An Introduction to Sociology of Childhood. Palgrave Macmillan: London.
Young People Creating Belonging: Spaces, Sounds and Sight” – project (ESRC RES-061-25-0501; 2010-2013, Dr. Sarah Wilson): http://www.esrc.ac.uk/my- esrc/grants/RES-061-25-0501/read
Downloads
Published
2013-10-01
How to Cite
Eldén, S. (2013). "You child is just wonderful!”: On ethics and access in research with children. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 8(2), 198–221. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v8i2.101
Issue
Section
Articles