Researching Young Children s Perspectives: Debating the ethics and dilemmas of educational research with children

What ethical dilemmas face researchers who work with young children?

Researching Young Children’s Perspectives critically examines the challenges and complexities of rights based, participatory research with children. Rather than approaching these dilemmas as problematic issues, this book positions them as important topics for discussion and reflection.

Drawing from their own rich experiences as research collaborators with young children in internationally diverse settings, the authors consider the ethical, methodological and theoretical frameworks that guide best-practice in research with young children. Each chapter poses points for consideration that will inform and challenge both the novice and experienced researcher, such as:

• How ‘participatory’ can research be with infants under eighteen months?
• When should listening through observation stand alone?
• What is the distinction between methodologies and methods?
• How can all young children be assured of a voice in research?

The authors also present seven separate case studies which demonstrate exemplary research with young children. Each study is accompanied by insightful commentary from the authors, who highlight the issues or difficulties faced and propose potential solutions.

If you are a student at undergraduate level and above, this book will give you all the confidence you need to conduct your own high quality research with children.

Deborah Harcourt is Professor of Early Childhood at the Australian Catholic University, based in Brisbane, Australia.

Bob Perry is Professor of Education in the Murray School of Education at Charles Sturt University, Albury-Wodonga, Australia.

Tim Waller is Reader in Early Years Education and Coordinator of the Childhood Research Cluster at the University of Wolverhampton, UK.