The title "Researching Children" is deliberately ambiguous. There is a lot of research about, on and even for children. However, there is very little research in which children play an active and contributing part.
"Researching Children" stands for research in which children actively participate with adults in ways that ensure that their view of the world is fully expressed and presented seriously. Of course there are many aspects of research that require very specialized skills. Managing research projects also requires extensive knowledge of the respective field which only a small number of adults possess. However, there are also areas where children could participate, although they only seldom have the opportunity to do so.
 |
| Photo: SOS Archives |
The conferences wanted to expand the active role of children and young people in research and create bodies of knowledge about them: about their living conditions and about social aspects that influence their life. Children can and are to take on a role in establishing a project, designing research instruments, collecting, analyzing and interpreting data and in presenting and publishing the findings.
The participants came from the fields of education, social science, health, social work, city planning and community development and environmental studies. It was a mixed group of researchers, educators, psychologists, lawyers, policy makers and activists. They share the view that children and young people should have more opportunities to participate in research the consequences of which will affect them. For: young people can do so. Plenty of evidence to that effect was presented during the conference and can also be read in "Yes, they can! Children researching their lives" (see "Links on the topic" or "Publications").
For more information see