Working Together: Including children in research on violence against children – A Resource Pack for Research Practitioners

The focus of “Working Together: Including children in research on violence against children” is not on if we will engage in participatory research, but instead on how we can best support meaningful research initiatives with children. With an explicit focus on research related to violence against children (VAC), the resource provides valuable guidance to researchers and policymakers, helping them understand how children’s participation in research adds value and rigor to the process of building sustainable violence prevention programming. It recognizes that a high ethical standard and an understanding of the ethical complexities involved in research specific to children is required. These materials will help you to overcome the challenges and barriers to children’s participation in research.

What’s in it for me?

• Clear guidance: find information on child participation in research; the different levels of participation and how to apply them in VAC settings; ethical guidance; how to include children most impacted by inequalities and discrimination; mitigating risks; and working in challenging situations
• Easy to use navigation: explore a selection of best practice case studies from around the world, read expert opinions or simply skip to recommended resources
• A curated topical bibliography: including open access resources and child friendly tools to involve children in VAC research

Section one: Get acquainted with the topic: explore key concepts that underpin child participation in research

Section two: Participation in practice: understand the basics of what participation is and how it works

Section three: How to keep research ethical: ensure that every stage of research is executed ethically

Section four: Understanding and obtaining genuine consent: preserve children’s autonomy and understand the difference between consent and assent

Section five: Making research equitable: ensure that all children have an opportunity to participate without discrimination

Section six: Managing risk and protecting children: explore how researchers can keep the children they work with safe

Section seven: Preserving researchers’ safety: understand how to reduce risk to researchers

Section eight: A step-by-step guide to participatory research: find tips/tools for working with children through each stage of a project

Section nine: Working with children in large-scale studies: overcome the challenges of large-scale research

Section ten: Child-friendly resources: access key resources that support child-friendly processes, methodologies, and information sharing.

Resources by theme: find references and links to all the resources in the pack and other useful resources by theme

There are five main kinds of resources provided in this pack:

1. Case studies: practical examples, written by researchers, practitioners or policymakers that provide tangible examples of how the principles discussed have been applied.
2. Expert insights: guidance from experts who have worked with children and young people. This guidance elaborates on or clarifies important points in the pack.
3. Tools and key resources: in-depth materials to further illuminate the themes discussed in the pack and useful starting points for designing and undertaking research on violence with children.
4. Optional exercises: optional exercises to complete with your colleagues or collaborators (including children) to encourage good work practices.
5. Reading lists: comprehensive and vetted reading lists that can help deepen theoretical knowledge or enhance understanding of how participatory research is linked to the rights of children before exploring participatory research in practice.

Developed in partnership with the University of Cape Town, Children’s Institute, and Save the Children, the resource pack is produced under the umbrella of the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children in the Global EVAC Knowledge Network: A Forum for Users and Producers of Evidence.