Ethics in child research: rights, reason and responsibilities

Abstract

This paper explores the nature of the relationship between research ethics and children's rights by examining the historical origins of both concepts and then analysing several contemporary research ethics guidelines from a rights-based perspective. The analysis demonstrates that while many research ethics guidelines may contain references to human rights principles, implicit or otherwise, there is often a lack definition about what is meant by 'rights' and about the correlation between human rights principles and research ethics in practice. Within social sciences research, in particular, research ethics guidelines, including those guidelines specific to child research, noticeably lack direct reference to human rights principles such as those articulated within the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The paper argues that as child researchers do not stand apart from their obligations to protect and promote children's rights, research ethics guidelines relied upon by child researchers need to be informed by human rights principles and that those researchers may draw upon the UNCRC, in particular, to inform their consideration of inevitable ethical dilemmas arising within child research.

Ethical Guardrails When Children Participate in Research

“…A basic condition of this principle is that research can only be sanctioned if it can be undertaken with respect for human dignity. This first articulation of research ethics was also closely related in time to the emerging formulation of human rights (Bell, 2008).…”

Be my guest! Challenges and practical solutions of undertaking interviews with children in the home setting

“…Engaging children requires commitment and planning (Moules 2012) and the ideal approaches involve building the capacity of children as co-researchers (Lundy and McEvoy 2012). The importance of acknowledging the participation rights of children (Bell 2008) is now evident throughout current government thinking in the UK (Coad and Houston, 2007) although how to do this for children (and adults) is less clearly articulated (Telford et al 2004, Barber et al, 2007. However, there are ways which can improve children's engagement with research design as we now explicate.…”

Environmental Affordances and Children in Post-conflict Belfast

“…The research focus of this paper is based on data collected with 11-year-old children in two paired primary schools in east and south Belfast and involved a total of 88 pupils (school A ¼ 12; school B ¼ 33; school C ¼ 25; and school D ¼ 18 pupils). School and pupil recruitment followed the work of Bell (2008), with teacher briefings, parental permissions and consent and written post-research briefing used to ensure and maintain ethical standards and user engagement. A pilot study was held in a non-participating school, especially to ensure comprehension of the research instrument by 11-year-old children (Morrow, 2008).…”