Child and youth participation resource guide
Basics of child and youth participation
Ethics and standards
Alderson, Priscilla and Virginia Morrow, Ethics, Social Research and Consulting with Children and Young People, Barnardo’s, ISBN 1904659071, Barkingside, UK, 2004.
This report examines the ethical implications of involving children in social research, from planning a study, to interview questions and methods, to reporting and disseminating the findings.
Email: jo.barnes@barnardos.org
Association of Social Anthropologists of the UK and Commonwealth, Ethical Guidelines for Good Research Practice, UK, 1999.
These guidelines are designed to alert researchers to ethical issues and situations that might arise during the research process. Five sections provide recommendations for researchers and their relations with and responsibilities to: research participants, sponsors, donors and employers, colleagues, governments and the wider society.
Ausyouth, Good Practice in Youth Development: A framework of principles, a discussion document, Ausyouth, Adelaide, 2001.
This discussion document presents a framework of principles for youth development in Australia. It includes underlying principles and indicators for the applications of the framework in the three youth development areas of policy, organizations and programmes.
Boyden, Jo, ‘Conducting Research with War-Affected and Displaced Children’ in Rethinking Childhood: Perspectives on children’s rights, Special issue of Cultural Survival Quarterly, Issue 24.2, Cambridge, MA, 2000.
Research in situations of conflict can be sensitive and may affect the privacy, well-being and security of subjects. This paper explores some of the ethical and moral obligations that should be met while conducting research with children. It also addresses the ethical dilemmas that are involved in the process.
Children and Young People’s Unit, Learning to Listen: Core principles for the involvement of children and young people, Department of Education and Skills, Children and Young People’s Unit, UK, 2003.
This document presents the core principles of children’s participation in government departments. It provides a framework for planning and for involving children and young people in policy, service design and delivery.
Cutler, David, Standard! Organizational standards and young people’s participation in public decision making, Carnegie Young People Initiative, London, 2003.
This report raises the question of how standards can be applied to young people’s involvement in the decisions that shape their lives. It reviews the use of standards by young people’s organizations and other agencies.
Morrow, Virginia, ‘The Ethics of Social Research with Children’, Paper presented at CRED, University of Western England, UK, 2003.
This paper examines the literature and critical issues related to ethics and social research with children. The ‘Ten Topics in Ethical Research’ in the conclusion is a useful summary of important ethical considerations for any researcher considering research with children.
Ethics and Standards of Children’s Participation 21 National Association of Social Workers, NASW Standards for the Practice of Social Work with Adolescents, NASW, Washington D.C, 2003.
These standards are designed to guide social workers in a variety of settings as they help young people become competent and healthy adults. This is a good reference guide for all professionals working with adolescents.
O’Kane, Claire, ‘Responding to Key Challenges and Ethical Issues’ in Children and Young People as Citizens: Partners for social change, Book 2, Learning From Experience, Save the Children Alliance, South and Central Asia Region, Kathmandu, 2004, pp. 22-36. (Also available in PDF)
This chapter addresses the popular concerns in relation to adult power and children’s participation. It deals with issues of raising expectations, payments for children’s involvement, informed consent and fair representation and other ethical issues in children’s participation.
Save the Children, Children and Participation: Research, monitoring and evaluation with children and young people, Save the Children UK, London, 2002.
This annotated bibliography includes information on ethical issues in facilitating children’s participation.
Save the Children, Practice Standards in Children’s Participation, Save the Children Alliance, London, 2005.
This briefing document outlines Save the Children’s practice standards in children’s participation and discusses how to meet those standards. It is based on the principles derived from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In summary, the practice standards are: an ethical approach: transparency, honesty and accountability; children’s participation is relevant and voluntary; a childfriendly, enabling environment; equality of opportunity; staff are effective and confident; participation promotes the safety and protection of children; ensuring follow-up and evaluation.
Schenk, Katie and Jan Williamson, Ethical Approaches to Gathering Information from Children and Adolescents in International Settings: Guidelines and resources, Population Council, New York, USA, 2005.
This publication provides practical guidance on collecting information from and about young people to help researchers and programme managers to understand and uphold ethical standards while planning and conducting research with children. It also provides guidance on planning and implementing the research and concludes with some recommendations.
UNICEF, Children Participating in Research, Monitoring and Evaluation: Ethics and your responsibilities as a manager, Evaluation Technical Notes, UNICEF, New York, 2002.
This paper offers advice and checklists on ethical issues when involving children in research, monitoring and evaluation.
Wade, Harry and Bill, Badham, Hear by Right: Standards for the active involvement of children and young people, The National Youth Agency, UK, 2003.
This publication offers tried and tested standards for organizations to assess and improve practice and policy on the active involvement of children and young people. The standards cover seven areas: shared values, strategy, structure, systems, staff and elected members and trustees, skills and knowledge, and style of leadership. It includes checklists and examples for adaptation by other agencies.
