Peer-reviewed article
Children’s participation in social work research. A secondary data analysis of an umbrella review of children’s participation in child welfare
Paul McCafferty, Esther Mercado García ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This peer-reviewed study analysed how children and young people participate in social work research, examining data from an earlier umbrella review. The researchers found that research involving children relies heavily on traditional adult-centred methods that often exclude children's genuine perspectives. While some child-friendly research approaches exist, they are used inconsistently and many children's participation in research is tokenistic rather than truly collaborative. The study calls for research practices that treat children as active co-creators of knowledge rather than passive subjects.
Key points
- Research involving children predominantly uses traditional, adult-centred methods that overlook young participants' perspectives
- Creative, child-friendly research methods exist but are sporadic and underutilised, particularly for engaging younger children
- Children's participation in research is often tokenistic rather than genuinely collaborative
- The study applies Shier's model to analyse children's participation in research processes
- More inclusive and innovative research practices are needed to empower children as co-creators of knowledge
Limitations
This is a secondary analysis of an existing umbrella review, so it does not present primary research data or evaluate specific interventions. The study focuses on research practices rather than outcomes for children's actual well-being or service delivery.
Abstract
Abstract The real participation of children and young people (C&YP) in decisions affecting their lives and rights gained traction with the 1989 adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, particularly Article 12, which asserts children's rights to express their views and have them respected. This principle recognizes children as active societal agents, not just passive subjects. This study, based on these principles, analyses secondary data from a prior umbrella review by the authors, focusing on children’s involvement in research processes. Using an adapted version of Shier's (2019) model, the study highlights a worrying dependence on traditional, adult-centred research methods that largely overlook young participants' perspectives. Although some creative, child-friendly methods are used, they are sporadic, revealing a gap in engaging younger children effectively. The study also finds that children's participation is often tokenistic rather than genuinely collaborative. These findings emphasize the need for more inclusive and innovative research practices to empower C&YP as co-creators of knowledge. Bridging these gaps is essential for promoting a more child-centred, equitable approach in research, which values every child's contribution and fosters a more inclusive society.