"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
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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
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Published
2013-10-01
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How to Cite
"You child is just wonderful!”: On ethics and access in research with children. (2013). Journal of Comparative Social Work, 8(2), 198-221. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v8i2.101