Ethical Research Involving Children

Ethical considerations in participatory research with young children.

Truscott, J., Graham, A., & Powell, M. A. (2019). Ethical considerations in participatory research with young children. In A. Eckhoff (Ed.), Participatory Research with Young Children. Educating the Young Child (Advances in Theory and Research, Implications for Practice) (Vol. 17). Cham: Springer.

Abstract: The expansion of participatory research with young children has given rise to an evolving culture of research ethics. This chapter draws upon our experience in undertaking a major international research initiative, the Ethical Research Involving Children (ERIC) project. The ERIC project is introduced, including the underlying theoretical considerations and a brief overview of the ‘Three R’s’ framework (Rights, Relationships and Reflexivity), which emerged as central to understanding ethics in the context of research involving children. Drawing on this framework, the chapter provides an overview of current ethical thinking and practice in participatory research with young children, with sections on ethical research design, recruitment and informed consent, research practice in the field, and the analysis and dissemination of research findings. Each of these is illustrated with extracts from a case study research project, which sought to explore children’s nature-based play within the naturalised playgrounds of early childhood settings. (Abstract reproduced with permission © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2019).