The Right to be Properly Researched. How to Do Rights‐Based, Scientific Research with Children: A Set of Ten Manuals for Field Researchers

Abstract

The Right to be Properly Researched. How to Do Rights-Based, Scientific Research with Children: A Set of Ten Manuals for Field Researchers By Judith Ennew, with Tatek Abebe, Rattana Bangyai, Parichart Karapituck, Anne Trine Kjorholt, Thanakorn Noonsup, with additional material from Harriot Beazley, Sharon Bessell, Patima Daengchart-Kushanonglu, Roxana Waterson Bangkok : Black on White Publications, Knowing Children , 2009 ISBN 9786167333014 , 300 pp . (boxed set of 10 paperback manuals), US$39.99 incl. p&p from http://www.knowingchildren.org Judith Ennew and her large international team of co-authors are to be congratulated on their production of what is a very detailed and clear set of step-by-step guides on how to do rights-based scientific research with children. The manuals stem from the assertion that children and young people have the right to be researched properly; a position based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). This set of manuals shows how researchers (especially those without academic qualifications in social science) can use the CRC to inspire and inform their research with children. It is envisaged that these manuals will be used by NGO field researchers, consultants and other researchers to design and carry out research with children in a way that is scientifically rigorous so that it can be taken seriously to usefully and accurately inform policy and programme development. The content of the 10 manuals is extremely thorough. They guide the reader very practically and, in detail, from starting with the CRC as a foundation of how children should be researched, through the ethics of working with children, evolving good research questions, protecting children via the most ethical practices, reviewing secondary literature, data collection methods, field research, handling and analysing data, and eventually to report writing. The manuals are a step-by-step guide written out of real world experiences of the authoring team with lots of clear explanations to help early career and experienced researchers alike. I wish I had had the section on dealing with distress in children taking part in research when I carried out research with young carers in Zimbabwe in the 1990s (Robson, 2001). These manuals demonstrate what a long way research with children and thinking and practice around children’s rights have progressed in the past couple of decades. Throughout the manuals web links are given to what would be very useful materials including sample tools and models. Unfortunately, due to political unrest in Bangkok and the publisher’s relocation to Malaysia, these have yet to be made available, which is a great pity. The authors have given assurance that the planned online resources will be available by the time this review is out in print. Indeed, Judith Ennew and her colleagues are to be encouraged to try and ensure access to the planned online resources as soon as possible, as they really need to be accessible to complement and complete the handbooks. The set of 10 handbooks are well designed, easy to follow and very clear with lots of useful features like a dictionary of research terms (Manual 10). However, it is unclear why the authors and publishers chose to produce a boxed set of 10 manuals ranging from 20 to 50 pages each, rather than a single handbook with 10 chapters. Personally, I feel a modest-length book (rather than 10 slim manuals confusingly identical in appearance) would have made it much easier to flick back and forth between chapters, follow the logical progression of ideas from start to finish and refer to reference material. Although aimed at those involved in research for policy-making and programming, the Right to be Properly Researched manuals would equally be useful for academic researchers who are serious about protecting children’s rights while undertaking research with children. However, most academic researchers might feel at odds with the authors’ assertion that ‘qualitative research’ and ‘quantitative research’ are mistaken terms not recognised in rights-based research (p. 10.15). The experience of the authors spans many countries, but they have a long track record of undertaking research with children particularly in Asia and other regions of the Global South, which is reflected in the examples in the manuals. Nonetheless, there is much in the content that would be useful and adaptable for those working with children and young people in the Global North who are looking for some guidelines to follow on actually how adults can facilitate research that is owned and led by children.