Chapter 21: The Ethics of Research with Young Children

This chapter considers how ethics can promote high standards of worthwhile research, which respects young children, and aims to reduce and avoid risks. Traditionally, research ethics has concentrated on the central stage of research, when researchers ask for consent and collect data. The earlier and later stages also raise ethical questions and this chapter follows research projects from early plans to finally implementing the findings. The first sections look at why research ethics matters and what it involves.

Research ethics, aiming to respect and protect children and promote their interests, is very important for the following reasons.

Research is not designed directly to benefit child research subjects, although research is often discussed as if it does benefit them. ‘They enjoy taking part. It is good for them. It raises their self-esteem.’ All this might happen, but it might not, and it cannot be the purpose or the guaranteed promise of research. Some children may be bored or confused, anxious or exploited.