Research with Children

Children make the best participants in research

Children’s research can seem daunting and fraught with difficulty to clients, but actually children make the best respondents. They are honest, straightforward and eager to be asked their opinion. Kids in research can also however be too ready to please if in the hands of an inexperienced researcher; they might say what they think is the right answer, rather than express their opinion. They can also push the boundaries a little, if they think the researcher is uncomfortable.

So, how do you research children? Well, there are 3 simple, but important, considerations before you begin.

1. Understand children’s age, and the child’s developmental stage
Not all children are the same, but their stage of physical and cognitive development and understanding tends to be similar, wherever they live in the world. Therefore it is essential to keep age brackets narrow, and to be sure that children understand the question. Only last week we saw a questionnaire, aimed at children by a well-known young people’s organisation, that was simply too complex for children to comprehend.

2. Know how to communicate with children
Keep things simple, but allow children to express themselves. Children are straightforward, and like questions to be simple and clear. But avoid putting words into kids’ mouths. Sometimes, out of nervousness, a researcher can suggest answers to questions before the child has had a chance to think about it. Children like to have thinking time, so don’t be afraid of leaving space and time for them to reply. Use clear language and sentence structure. Children are highly visual, and are used to expressing their thoughts and feelings through pictures and emojis; use visual stimulus to allow children to express themselves.

3. Be aware of children’s privacy, safety and security
When carrying out research with kids be aware that children can sometimes share too freely. Put safeguards in place to be sure they cannot be identified or give out too much information. Never approach a child directly, always go through a parent or carer. Never ask kids for their personal details, and don’t let them reveal, in a focus group or on a questionnaire, where they live or their full name. If the subject is sensitive, for example talking about bullying or mental health, always make sure the child can ask for help afterwards, and knows where to find it.

But above all make sure the experience is fun, for you the researcher and for the children. That way they will relax and be forthcoming, and you will learn a lot.

For more information on ethics and safeguarding see the award winning paper written by Barbie Clarke and Agnes Nairn, Researching Children: are we getting it right?

For more guidance on How to Research Children watch these excellent films made with the MRS about carrying out research with children.

Dr Barbie Clarke is founder and MD of Family Kids & Youth. A trained child and adolescent counsellor her PhD at Cambridge was in child and adolescent psycho-social development. She and the FK&Y team have carried out many groups and ethnographies with children and young people.