Different approaches to child-focused research, by Dr Nicola Atwool
The importance of child-focused research is widely acknowledged. It is now generally accepted that the views and lived experience of children and young people contribute much to our understanding of development and health.
Additionally, our understanding of health issues and diseases specific to this stage of life remains incomplete without the child’s perspective. Guidelines that have been developed to help researchers navigate the ethical issues specific to children are premised on their vulnerability. Thus central issues relate to consent, competence, confidentiality, protection, and ethics as an ongoing social practice.
Despite considerable progress toward inclusion of children and young people in the research realm, fundamental differences in the perception of childhood influence how ethical issues are addressed. Children can be perceived in three different ways: as unknowing objects, as aware subjects and as social actors. In negotiating the challenges of undertaking research with children and young people, each position is based on understandings that influence every stage of the research process, and, potentially, the outcomes.