Defining children's needs in out-of-home care: Methods and challenges of a collaborative research project

Abstract

The ‘future’ orientation of the out-of-home care research literature which has focused on outcomes of care has risked ignoring children's experiences of care in their ‘present(s)’. In this paper we describe a project, the design of which reflects an alternative to the traditional way of looking at childhood, of which this ‘future’ (adult constructed) orientation is part. We discuss the use of qualitative research methods to identify children's needs in care. The project has attempted to involve children as co-constructors of knowledge around their needs through participatory research methods. These methods have required us to recognise that children and their needs exist within a context of relational structures; to address the power imbalances between adult researchers and child participants; and to be flexible in responding to the consequences of a participative process. Challenges which have surfaced in the implementation of this research and our responses to them are described.

Rights-based narrative research with children and young people conducted over time,

“…In each instance, most participants have spontaneously reported their experience of participation as empowering; their research engagement seemingly advanced the advocacy activities of some adolescent/young adult participants who lobbied Australian governments at state and federal levels to improve welfare and mental health resource allocation. This would appear consistent with a ‘children’s movements’ orientation to research where children are understood as ‘experts in their own lives’ (Mason and Urquart, 2001)…”

“…Inclusion in relation to children’s research, implies respectful and proactive invitation to children and young people to collaborate in the choice of research topic, development of research design, choice of methodology and strategies for data collection, analysis of findings and dissemination (Gilbertson and Barber, 2002; IFSW, 2002). Inclusion privileges respect for children as ‘competent human beings’ who can make choices about both the nature of their involvement and every aspect of the research process, rather than viewing children as ‘developmentally incomplete’, passive (sometimes oppressed) research subjects (Mason and Urquhart, 2001).…”

“…Participation of children in research is very different from ‘tokenistic’ involvement with children (Kellett, 2010). Once engaged in the research process, it is vital that children and young people maintain active agency throughout (Adams, 2008; Ife, 2001; IFSW, 2002; Mason and Urquhart, 2001). Participation can occur at a range of levels; research by children well trained in research skills (including skills of collecting peer-to-peer and adult data), undertaking their own studies with adult support, is probably the highest level of participation (Kellett, 2010).…”

“…Adults can advocate for the implementation of research findings that impact on children’s lives. However, if children are empowered and do feel convinced that they are indeed ‘experts on their own lives’ (Mason and Urquhart, 2001) they will often be able to engage in advocacy themselves, with adult support.…”

Children’s conceptualisation(s) of their well-being

“…As researchers concerned to facilitate children's standpoints in a way that applied rigor to our process of research and our analysis of data, we employed the research practice of reflexivity. We used this practice developed by the researchers in previous contexts (Mason et al, 2003;Watson, 2003) to bring into critical focus and constantly question, the power and privilege that naturalise hierarchical arrangements between adults and children. Reflexivity in the research context has been defined as opening 'the way to a more radical consciousness of self' and 'a mode of self-analysis and political awareness' (Davis et al, 2000, p. 202 citing Callaway, 1992.…”