Research with Children and Young People: The Issue of Parental (Proxy) Consent

Abstract

This study examines the potential problems with the parental consent requirement, substantiated with examples mainly from healthcare and social research studies. This will illustrate how the parental consent requirement, instead of promoting high ethical standards, may result in some instances of children’s rights and ethical considerations being ignored or receiving cursory attention. The ‘blanket’ requirement of parental consent for all research involving children under the age of 18 years needs to be challenged as it fails to recognise children’s capacities and accord children due respect as persons in their own right. Flexible ethical guidelines should be developed that take cognisance of children’s competence in contemporary society and at the same time protects children from inappropriate research and procedures.

Children and Parent Participation in Child Protection Conferences: A Study in One English Local Authority

“…The other fifty-seven children and young people were contacted as a 100% response rate was unlikely; twenty-two children and young people agreed to be interviewed and twenty-six parents. It has been argued that children who are old enough and have a level of maturity to understand the meaning of research should be allowed to decide about their own participation, without parental consent being a requirement (Coyne, 2010). For this study consent was sought from both parents and children, however, parents were able to decline on their children's behalf if they did not wish them to take part.…”

‘You've got to trust her and she's got to trust you’: children's views on participation in the child protection system

“…Parents are also important gatekeepers. It has been argued that children who can demonstrate understanding of research should be allowed to decide about their participation, without parental consent necessarily being a requirement (Coyne 2010). In the present study, active consent was sought from both parents and children.…”

Ethical issues in research on children

“…Savremenu istraživačku praksu karakteriše prihvatanje dece kao kompetentnih učesnika istraživanja, sposobnih da izraze i podele svoje iskustvo (Coyne, 2010). Istraživački pristup u kojem se deca proučavaju iz pozicija sopstvenih pogleda i percepcija i uvažava iskustvo dece kao relevantan osnov za izvođenje naučnih uopštavanja, na izvestan način unapređuje prava dece.…”