Research Methods & Ethics with Children

• Research methods involving children include:
  • Asking young participants about their feelings, opinions, and experiences via questionnaires or interviews.
  • Observing behavior through experiments or activities.
  • Analyzing records from social care or school files.
  • Gathering perspectives from parents, carers, or teachers about their experiences with a child.

Models for Research

• Young participants can identify research issues and priorities.
• They can help ensure research tools use clear language.
• They are helpful for designing interventions.
• They can be participants in school-based research.
• They improve dissemination of findings.

Ethical Research Involving Children (ERIC)

• ERIC helps researchers plan and conduct ethical research with children.
• It ensures consideration of key ethical questions.
• Anyone thinking about doing research with children needs to consider ethical questions.

Ethics & GDPR

• A 'child' is defined as anyone under 18 according to the ICO.
• The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is crucial.
• Positive action is required to opt in, and failure to opt out does not constitute consent.

Assent/Consent

• Young people over 16 are usually capable of giving consent.
• Those under 16 may give assent with parental consent.
• Those over 16 may also provide consent.
• Assent is agreement from someone unable to give legal consent.
• 'Gillick competence' relates to consent for research.
  • It depends on the capacity to understand the research's specific details.
  • A child's competence may be reflected in their ability to understand or assess risk.
• GDPR states that consent must be freely given, specific, and informed.
• Changes in GDPR may affect how school-based research is conducted.
• Good practice involves including family in decision-making, even if the child is competent.
• Information should be provided in an understandable format.
• Asking very young children (under 5) to sign a consent form is usually inappropriate.
• Researchers need to regard the potential risk to the participants as a priority where consent from parents/carers could jeopardise the research, such as with teenage sexuality or alcohol use.
• Research involving looked-after children raises complex consent and legal issues, which should be thoroughly investigated.
• Information sheets should be concise, clear and written in plain style.
• Target the relevant age group by making a distinction between addressing a 10-year-old and a 16-year-old.

Safeguarding

• Procedures should always be in place.
• Issues like suicidal thoughts, self-harm, or abuse may arise.
• Any disclosures must be handled transparently, sensitively, and responsibly.
• DBS clearance consent must be obtained before interviewing a child under 16.

Information Sheet/Consent Form

• Information sheets for young people should be clear, transparent, and age-appropriate.
• Assent forms are for those under 16.
• Consent forms are for those over 16.
• Information sheets and consent forms are needed for parents/carers of young people under 16.
• A defined safeguarding procedure is essential.

Measurement

• Questionnaires should be designed and validated by young participants and be appropriate for them.
• Use multiple informants like the child, parent/carer, and teacher.
• Examples of questionnaires include the SDQ/GHQ.