Listening to Children: Research and Consultation

What is the course about?
Listening to Children is designed to help you to develop skills in research and consultation with children and young people. As a participant, you will have the chance to develop your own research skills and to engage with all aspects of the research process, from first ideas through to the dissemination of results. Specifically, you will:

explore the ethical considerations in undertaking research and consultation with children and young people
reflect on the impact of different conceptual understandings of childhood
discuss how to identify your research question and select an appropriate research method
review methods and techniques of data collection and data analysis
develop an informed view on the extent to which conducting research with children is significantly different from conducting research with adults
discuss how to tackle sensitive topics
consider the variations among children (by factors such as gender, ethnicity, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, disability, and age) and how these impact upon research and consultation
consider how children can be involved as part of the research team
look at ways to present and disseminate your findings and to feedback to your participants.

How is the course content organised?
Listening to Children is based around eight main topics:

Why research and consultation are important; Doing research with children and young people
Children as part of the research team
Survey instruments
Qualitative interviews and focus groups
Communicating with different children
Evaluation
Observation and participant observation
Dissemination

Listening to Children: Research and Consultation
Centre for Research on Families and Relationships
23 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9LN, Scotland, UK
Tel: 0131 651 1832
Contact: crfr@ed.ac.uk

Image credits

This page last updated: 24 May, 2006

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