Next steps in children and young people’s research, participation and protection from the perspective of young researchers
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-07-2019-0038 |
| Published date | 05 September 2019 |
| Pages | 186-193 |
| Date | 05 September 2019 |
| Author | Dan ,David ,Evie ,Ollie ,Donna Thomas,Cath Larkins |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Vulnerable groups,Children's services,Sociology,Sociology of the family,Children/youth,Parents,Education,Early childhood education,Home culture,Social/physical development |
Next steps in children and young people’s
research, participation and protection from
the perspective of young researchers
Dan, David, Evie, Ollie, Donna Thomas and Cath Larkins
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to explore young researchers perspectives on children and young
people’s research, participation and protection.
Design/methodology/approach –The paper is co-authored by young people and academics involved in a
young researcher group. This paper provides a brief introduction from the young researchers and some
academic context to their work, then the young researcher group’s contribution. Their contribution is followed
by a brief discussion of the issues they raise in the light of current academic debate.
Findings –This paper contains our critical reflection on participation and protection.
Originality/value –The paper presents a unique contribution capturing children and young people’s
perspectives on the journal’s theme and other contributions to it.
Keywords Young researchers, Participation, Protection
Paper type Viewpoint
Introduction
Children and young people need to be at the heart of all decisions that affect them. And all the people
working with them need to understand this. (Ollie)
This is what Ollie said to Cath as they walked from our meeting writing this paper towards the
next meeting they were attending, a youth council special event at the university where they are
both researchers. Cath is an old researcher. Ollie is a young researcher. The young researcher
group we all belong to is called UCan. It is facilitated by an old researcher called Donna, with
help from Cath and other people. The young researchers who take part are aged from 12 to 25
years. The old researchers are aged up to 50 years. We meet once a month at the University of
Central Lancashire.
This paper contains our critical reflection on participation and protection. We read summaries of
the things other people have written for this special issue. We then shared stories of our own
experiences. We discussed how our stories link up with each other’s and the things other people
have written about child participation. Cath typed up our conversation and grouped things
together around themes. We all looked at what she had written and made changes, sometimes
adding new ideas.
Children and young people “at the heart of all decisions that affect them”(Ollie) is a powerful
way of describing child participation, which more conventionally tends to be associated with
notions of having a s ay, consultation , involvement or inf luence within per sonal lives, prac tice,
research and policy. In this paper we are pursuing collaborative research practice which
challenges “the donor recipient model of top down, academically informed practice or policy
recommendations”(Clayson et al., 2018). Participatory research is a process that “involves
youth and adults in collaborative process of research, reflection, analysis and action”(Kohfeldt
and Langhout, 2011, p. 316). It is grounded in an epistemology of shared knowledge
Received 19 July 2019
Revised 19 July 2019
Accepted 22 July 2019
This contribution is co-authored by
young people and academics
involved in a young researcher
group. This paper provides a brief
introduction from the young
researchers and some academic
context to their work, then the
young researcher group’s
contribution. Their contribution is
followed by a brief discussion of
the issues they raise in the light of
current academic debate.
Dan, David, Evie and Ollie are
Independent Researcher
based in UK.
Donna Thomas is based at the
UCLAN, Preston, UK.
Cath Larkins is based at the
University of Central
Lancashire, Preston, UK.
PAGE186
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JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES
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VOL. 14 NO. 3 2019, pp. 186-193, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1746-6660 DOI 10.1108/JCS-07-2019-0038
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