Children’s Voices on Ways of Having a Voice: Children’s and young people’s perspectives on methods used in research and consultation
Abstract
Drawing on relevant literature and a study carried out by the author and colleagues, this article reviews the evidence about children’s expressed views on methods used by adults to obtain chil dren’s views. It identifies key considerations deployed by children to account for those prefer ences. Children are normally passive with respect to method choice, but they negotiate differing degrees of engagement related to considerations such as time control, comfort with the research medium, rewardingness and privacy. Their views about methods of research and consultation are sharply affected by notions of inclusiveness and fairness.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The conduct of ethical and meaningful research with young people is complicated by the power dynamic in the adult-child relationship, informed consent procedures, the context in which research takes place, and the presence of gatekeepers, particularly in the school setting.
“The conduct of ethical and meaningful research is complicated by the power dynamic in the adult-child relationship, informed consent procedures, the context in which research takes place, and the presence of gatekeepers, particularly in the school setting (Alderson & Morrow, 2011;Hill, 2006).”
From Young people’s conceptualizations of the nature of cyberbullying: A systematic review and synthesis of qualitative research (2020) · cites this paper as Hill, 2006
Cites
The methodology of Focus Groups: the importance of interaction between research participants
Kitzinger, J. (1994) · Sociology of Health & Illness · doi:10.1111/1467-9566.ep11347023 · Cited by 3,870 · see citing works
Constructing and Reconstructing Childhood
James, A., & Prout, A. (2003) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203362600 · Cited by 2,824 · see citing works
The Qualitative Researcher's Companion
Huberman, A. M., & Miles, M. B. (2002) · Sage eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781412986274 · Cited by 2,360 · see citing works
Turner, C. F., Ku, L. C., Rogers, S., Lindberg, L., Pleck, J. H., & Sonenstein, F. L. (1998) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.280.5365.867 · Cited by 2,048 · see citing works
Developing Focus Group Research
Barbour, R. S., & Kitzinger, J. V. (1999) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781849208857 · Cited by 1,603 · see citing works
The Ethics of Social Research with Children: An Overview
Morrow, V., & Richards, M. (1996) · Children & Society · doi:10.1111/j.1099-0860.1996.tb00461.x · Cited by 1,035 · see citing works
Internet Communication and Qualitative Research: A Handbook for Researching Online
Mann, C., & Stewart, F. A. (2000) · Cited by 853 · see citing works
Internet Communication and Qualitative Research
Mann, C., & Stewart, F. A. (2000) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781849209281 · Cited by 771 · see citing works
Effective parenting during the early adolescent transition.
Baumrind, D. (1991) · Cited by 652 · see citing works
Children's participation in ethnographic research: Issues of power and representation
Christensen, P. (2004) · Children & Society · doi:10.1002/chi.823 · Cited by 648 · see citing works
Prout, A. (2004) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203323113 · Cited by 630 · see citing works
The ethics of participatory research with children
Thomas, N., & O'Kane, C. (1998) · Children & Society · doi:10.1111/j.1099-0860.1998.tb00090.x · Cited by 569 · see citing works
Researching Children's Experience
Greene, S., & Hogan, D. (2005) · doi:10.4135/9781849209823 · Cited by 502 · see citing works
Moving the participation agenda forward
Hill, M., Davis, J. M., Prout, A., & Tisdall, E. K. M. (2004) · Children & Society · doi:10.1002/chi.819 · Cited by 466 · see citing works
Self-citationMorgan, M., Gibbs, S., Maxwell, K., & Britten, N. (2002) · Qualitative Research · doi:10.1177/1468794102002001636 · Cited by 443 · see citing works
Researching children's experiences: methods and methodological issues
Greene, S., & Hill, M. (2005) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781849209823.n1 · Cited by 426 · see citing works
Self-citationProut, A. (2010) · Taylor & Francis eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203323113_chapter_5 · Cited by 373 · see citing works
Morrow, V. (2001) · Health Education Research · doi:10.1093/her/16.3.255 · Cited by 334 · see citing works
Sense of community and its relevance to adolescents of all ages
Pretty, G. M. H., Conroy, C., Dugay, J., Fowler, K., & Williams, D. (1996) · Journal of Community Psychology · doi:10.1002/(sici)1520-6629(199610)24:4 · Cited by 306 · see citing works
Smyth, R. L. (2001) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7299.1377 · Cited by 299 · see citing works
Punch, S. (2002) · Children & Society · doi:10.1002/chi.685 · Cited by 292 · see citing works
Researching Children'S Perspectives
Lewis, A., & Lindsay, G. (1999) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 287 · see citing works
Conversations with Children: Working with Generational Issues
(2008) · Research With Children · doi:10.4324/9780203964576-12 · Cited by 284 · see citing works
Kadushin, A. (1967) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 270 · see citing works
Hill, M., & Tisdall, E. K. M. (2014) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315841496 · Cited by 261 · see citing works
Self-citationResearching Children's Experience: Approaches and Methods,
Rich, L. M. (2005) · The British Journal of Social Work · doi:10.1093/bjsw/bch339 · Cited by 250 · see citing works
Researching Children’s Perspectives
Richardson, J. (2001) · Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing · doi:10.1046/j.1365-2850.2001.0347f.x · Cited by 241 · see citing works
‘Just teach us the skills please, we'll do the rest’: empowering ten‐year‐olds as active researchers
Kellett, M., ten), R. F. (., Dent, N., & ten), S. W. (. (2004) · Children & Society · doi:10.1002/chi.807 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
Researching children's experiences: methods and methodological issues
Greene, S. M., & Hill, M. (2005) · Cited by 225 · see citing works
Self-citationHill, M., Laybourn, A., & Borland, M. (1996) · Children & Society · doi:10.1111/j.1099-0860.1996.tb00463.x · Cited by 223 · see citing works
Self-citationService users' knowledges and social work theory: conflict or collaboration?
Beresford, P. (2000) · The British Journal of Social Work · doi:10.1093/bjsw/30.4.489 · Cited by 220 · see citing works
Alderson, P. (2001) · International Journal of Social Research Methodology · doi:10.1080/13645570120003 · Cited by 219 · see citing works
Carr, W. (1991) · British Journal of Educational Studies · doi:10.2307/3120981 · Cited by 218 · see citing works
Wright, D. L., Aquilino, W. S., & Supple, A. J. (1998) · Public Opinion Quarterly · doi:10.1086/297849 · Cited by 205 · see citing works
Using Focus Groups to Discuss Sensitive Topics with Children
Hoppe, M. J., Wells, E. A., Morrison, D. M., Gillmore, M. R., & Wilsdon, A. (1995) · Evaluation Review · doi:10.1177/0193841x9501900105 · Cited by 192 · see citing works
Combining Focus Groups and Interviews: Telling How It Is; Telling How It Feels
Michel, L. (1999) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781849208857.n3 · Cited by 174 · see citing works
Researching Children's Experiences: Approaches and Methods
Sinclair, R. (2006) · Child & Family Social Work · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2206.2006.00418.x · Cited by 146 · see citing works
Armstrong, C. (1998) · Cited by 146 · see citing works
‘Having a say’: children and young people talk about consultation
Stafford, A., Laybourn, A., Hill, M., et al. (2003) · Children & Society · doi:10.1002/chi.758 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
Self-citationMorrow, V. (1999) · The International Journal of Children s Rights · doi:10.1163/15718189920494318 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Webb, P., Zimet, G. D., Fortenberry, J. D., & Blythe, M. J. (1999) · Journal of Adolescent Health · doi:10.1016/s1054-139x(99)00005-1 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Acceptability of computer-acquired sexual histories in adolescent girls
Millstein, S. G., & Irwin, C. E. (1983) · The Journal of Pediatrics · doi:10.1016/s0022-3476(83)80493-4 · Cited by 125 · see citing works
Green, J., & Hart, L. (1999) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781849208857.n2 · Cited by 123 · see citing works
Horton, A. (2002) · Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment · doi:10.1300/j137v06n01_02 · Cited by 120 · see citing works
Lightfoot, J., & Sloper, P. (2003) · Children & Society · doi:10.1002/chi.748 · Cited by 104 · see citing works
Children and Young People's Views of Social Research
Edwards, R., & Alldred, P. (1999) · Childhood · doi:10.1177/0907568299006002007 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Teenagers and the Social Work Services
Triseliotis, J. (1995) · OpenGrey (Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique) · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Espenshade, T. J. (1984) · Cited by 79 · see citing works
An Evaluation of Computer-Assisted Self-Interviews in a School Setting
Beebe, T. J., Harrison, P. A., McRae, J. A., Anderson, R. E., & Fulkerson, J. A. (1998) · Public Opinion Quarterly · doi:10.1086/297863 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Why more ‘quality time’ is not on the top of children's lists: the ‘qualities of time’ for children1
Christensen, P. (2002) · Children & Society · doi:10.1002/chi.709 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Thomas, C., Beckford, V., Lowe, N., et al. (1999) · ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Veazie, M. A., Galloway, J. M., Matson-Koffman, D. M., Labarthe, D. R., Brownstein, J. N., Emr, M., Bolton, E., Freund, E., Fulwood, R., Guyton-Krishnan, J., et al. (2005) · Circulation · doi:10.1161/circulationaha.105.169179 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Hill, M. (1999) · Journal of Social Work Practice · doi:10.1080/026505399103368 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Self-citation(2001) · University Press of Kansas eBooks · doi:10.2307/j.ctv1p2gkf6.12 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
Situating Children's Social Competence
Hutchby, I., & Moran‐Ellis, J. (1998) · Open Research (University of Surrey) · Cited by 62 · see citing works
Children, Welfare and the State
Goldson, B., Lavalette, M., & McKechnie, J. (2004) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781446221068 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Children And Social Competence
Hutchby, I., & Moran-Ellis, J. (2005) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203975657 · Cited by 56 · see citing works
Do Focus Groups Facilitate Meaningful Participation in Social Research?
Baker, R. M., & Hinton, R. (1999) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781849208857.n6 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
McNeish, D. (1999) · Journal of Social Work Practice · doi:10.1080/026505399103403 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Morrow, V. (1998) · International Journal of Social Research Methodology · doi:10.1080/13645579.1998.10846882 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Health Issues and Adolescents: Growing Up, Speaking Out
Hendry, L. B., & Shucksmith, J. (1998) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Children as Service Evaluators
Hennessy, E. (1999) · Child and Adolescent Mental Health · doi:10.1111/1475-3588.00270 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Communicating with Disabled Children
Stalker, K. O., & Connors, C. (2003) · Adoption & Fostering · doi:10.1177/030857590302700105 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Kraftl, P., Horton, J., & Tucker, F. (2014) · doi:10.1093/obo/9780199791231-0080 · Cited by 35 · see citing works
Negotiating Health: Children at Home and Primary School
Mayall, B. (1994) · UCL Discovery (University College London) · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Morrow, V. (1999) · London School of Economics and Political Science Research Online (London School of Economics and Political Science) · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Youth involvement in urban regeneration: hard lessons, future directions
Fitzpatrick, S., Hastings, A., & Kintrea, K. (2000) · Policy & Politics · doi:10.1332/0305573002501108 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Children as Service Evaluators
Hennessy, E. (1999) · Child Psychology and Psychiatry Review · doi:10.1017/s1360641799002105 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Television and the Definition of Childhood
Buckingham, D. J. (2002) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780203486184-7 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Involving young people in health service development
Lightfoot, J., & Sloper, P. (2002) · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Children's Voices and Researching Childhood
McKechnie, J. (2004) · SAGE Publications Ltd eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781446221068.n4 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Diers-Lawson, A. R. (2019) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9780429437380-24 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The limits of children’s voices: From authenticity to critical, reflexive representation
Spyrou, S. (2011) · Childhood · doi:10.1177/0907568210387834 · Cited by 643 · see citing works
Rousell, D., & Cutter-Mackenzie-Knowles, A. (2020) · Children's Geographies · doi:10.1080/14733285.2019.1614532 · Cited by 621 · see citing works
research with children: methodological issues and innovative techniques
Fargas-Malet, M., McSherry, D., Larkin, E., & Robinson, C. (2010) · Journal of Early Childhood Research · doi:10.1177/1476718x09345412 · Cited by 520 · see citing works
Child participatory research methods: Attempts to go ‘deeper’
Horgan, D. (2017) · Childhood · doi:10.1177/0907568216647787 · Cited by 204 · see citing works
Hunleth, J. (2011) · Childhood · doi:10.1177/0907568210371234 · Cited by 189 · see citing works
Dennehy, R., Meaney, S., Walsh, K. A., Sinnott, C., Cronin, M., & Arensman, E. (2020) · Aggression and Violent Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.avb.2020.101379 · Cited by 98 · see citing works
Hill, L. (2015) · Children & Society · doi:10.1111/chso.12064 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Nygren, J. M., Lindberg, S., Wärnestål, P., & Svedberg, P. (2017) · JMIR Research Protocols · doi:10.2196/resprot.7094 · Cited by 25 · see citing works
Quiroz, P. A., Milam-Brooks, K., & Adams-Romena, D. (2014) · Childhood · doi:10.1177/0907568213496654 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Hill, M.
- Affiliations
- Glasgow Centre for the Child and Society,
- Corresponding author
- Hill, Malcolm
- Venue
- Childhood
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2006-02
- Volume
- 13
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 69-89
- ISSN
- 0907-5682 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7013
- OpenAlex
- W2096019356
- Cited by
- 430
- References
- 72
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 15 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 27 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 26 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 27 · 2012: 17
- FWCI
- 48.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Childhood (publishedVersion)
- Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde) (acceptedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Children's Rights and Participation
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Participatory Visual Research Methods
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health › Ethics and Legal Issues in Pediatric Healthcare
- Keywords
- children's voices, children's participation, children's preferences, time control, privacy, inclusivity, fairness
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review