This book provides a clear framework for conducting participatory research with children and
young people supported with practical examples from international research studies. Our aim is
to encourage more participatory research with children and young people on all matters that
affect their lives. This book illustrates innovative ways of being participatory and sheds new
light on involvement strategies that play to children's and young people's competencies.
Participatory research is based on the recognition of children and young people as active
contributors rather than objects of research. Participatory researchers support and value the
voices of children and young people in all matters that concern them. Core to participatory
research practice is a strengths-based approach that aims to promote the active engagement of
children and young people in all stages of research from inception to implementation and
beyond. Engagement of children and young people requiresthe use of creative participatory
methods tools and involvement strategies to reveal children's competencies. This book shares
knowledge about creative participatory techniques that can enable and promote children's ways
of expressing their views and experiences. The book provides guidance on appropriate techniques
that reduce the power differential in the adult-child relationship and which optimise
children's abilities to participate in research. This book is targeted at researchers
academics and practitioners who need guidance on what tools are available how the tools can
be used advantages and challenges and how best to involve children in all stages of a
research project. It will provide several examples of how children can have an active
participatory role in research. There is increasing interest in involving children as
co-researchers but little guidance on how this can be done. This book fills a this gap by
addressing all of these issues and by providing worked examples from leading researchers and
academics.
