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| Photo: Mr Esteban Cuesta |
Researching Children supports research in which children and young people and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities actively participate independently or in collaboration with adults in ways that ensure that the worldview of the children, young people and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is fully expressed and presented seriously.
Our aim is to expand the active role and participation of children, young people and people with disabilities in research and in creating bodies of knowledge about them, their living conditions and the social environments that have consequences for them. This can involve children and young people having a role in establishing a project, designing research instruments, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting it, and/or, presenting and publishing findings.
We recognize that aspects of research require specialized skills, and managing research projects requires extensive knowledge. Furthermore, working together young people in research requires educational skills and should always be conducted in a way that takes into account the best interests of the children, young people and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Researching Children believes that children, young people and people with disabilities deserve and have a right to be given space, be allowed to speak, and be heard, in research that has consequences for them. Adults should provide young and disabled researchers with the resources to be constructive critics of research done by others. In addition, adults are responsible for helping children and young people understand intellectual risk and the complexities and uncertainties of acting on information provided by experts. Finally, adults must be prepared to relinquish control and direction so as to become open to the new perspectives of the young people.
We believe in involving children, young people, and people with intellectual and
developmental disabilities in research in meaningful ways - although it may be difficult at times - because it improves the quality, validity, and ethical foundations of research.
We monitor standards and guidelines that are in use in all participating nations to ensure the active participation of children and young people in all research that has consequences for them.
We identify existing resources - and will identify potentially publishing resources in the future - that support the journey towards better, more reflective practice to support research by and with children, young people and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.