Sensitive Topics in Research with Children
Case for discussion about consent and confidentiality in research with children.
A research group at a Norwegian university college wants to map the extent of experiences with violence among children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 living in child welfare institutions, while they have been residents at the institution. They want to carry out an anonymous survey with children living in child welfare institutions in several counties. The research has been commissioned by the Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs.
The survey will ask respondents, in quite some detail, to report any experiences of violence. They will also be asked to state whether it was themselves or others who were exposed to the violence, whether it was committed by other residents or staff at the institution, someone outside the institution, or whether they themselves committed the violence.
The results of the study are to be used as a basis for assessing whether there is a need to implement measures against violence in child welfare institutions. The researchers believe the results will provide very important information, which in the long run can contribute to improving the children’s living conditions.
The plan is to recruit participants for the survey via the child welfare services in the different counties, possibly through the directors of the individual institutions. The researchers plan to provide the children with an information sheet explaining what the study will be used for, that participants will be anonymous, that the information they provide will be treated confidentially, and that they can withdraw their answers from the study at any time in the process.
Questions for discussion
- What do you think about the way the researchers plan to recruit the children?
- How can the researchers ensure that the information is treated confidentially and that it will not be possible to identify participants indirectly through the information they provide?
- The survey is anonymous and the answers will be treated confidentially. Some of the experiences the researchers may become aware of will involve violence and constitute criminal acts. What should the researchers do with this information?
- Are there particular considerations the researchers should take when obtaining consent for participation from the children?
- Would the matter be different if it concerned studying adults’ experiences with violence? If so, how and in what ways?
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