Gaining access to looked after children for research purposes: Lessons learned.

Heptinstall, E. (2000). Research note: Gaining access to looked after children for research purposes: Lessons learned. British Journal of Social Work, 30(6), pp. 867-872.


Abstract: This article provides a researcher’s account of gaining access to looked after children for the purpose of conducting a study of children’s experiences of family life. Based on a research project involving two social services departments, it gives a stepwise account of the process, from approaching social services directors to actually gaining access to looked after children. It describes the different methods of allowing access employed by the two departments and the advantage and disadvantage attached to each method from a researcher’s perspective. It provides information about the timespan involved and the delays experienced in contacting social services staff. It discusses the issue of adults’ involvement in preventing children from participating in research and the effect this has on the number of children researchers are able to contact. (© Oxford University Press. Reproduced by kind permission from Oxford University Press on behalf of the author and the British Association of Social Workers.)

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