Mudaly, N., & Goddard, C. (2012). The urgent need for ethical guidelines to protect children in the dissemination of research findings. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36(11–12). pp. 798-799.

Abstract: Despite extensive literature on the ethical requirements for children’s involvement in research (see for example, Alderson and Morrow, 2011, Mudaly and Goddard, 2009 and Mudaly and Goddard, 2006), we are concerned that there are significant omissions. Presenters at child abuse conferences are not required to declare the ethical processes they followed in their research. Nor are there requirements for the ethical dissemination of research findings.
Dissemination of research is essential and may include the use of photographs either for clinical purposes or to enhance presentations (Creighton, Alderson, Brown, & Minto, 2002). Yet ethical guidelines for use of the images appear to be non-existent. Roberts (2008, p. 225) states that ‘while taking the views and feelings of children is one thing, parading them is quite another’. In our experience, images of vulnerable children have frequently been ‘paraded’ sometimes by renowned researchers in child abuse conferences without reference to the ethical processes followed in the research. We believe that conference organisers must ensure that presenters clearly state the ethical processes followed in the research. They must also ensure that research is presented ethically. This article was published in Child Abuse & Neglect, 36(11–12), Mudaly, N., & Goddard, C., The urgent need for ethical guidelines to protect children in the dissemination of research findings, pp. 798-799, © Copyright Elsevier (2012).

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