Interviewing Children and Young People

1
Interviewing Childrenand Young People

• What needs to be considered?
• Caroline Sharp, NFER

2
Challenges in Interviewing Children and Young
People

• Allowing for age and ability
• Access and consent
• Selection and grouping
• Ensuring the experience is not intimidating
• Establishing roles
• Creating a safe environment

3
Access and Consent

• Permission from gatekeepers
• Parents/carers, teachers
• Informed consent from young people
• What we are trying to find out
• Why we are asking you
• What will be expected of you
• How will the information be used
• You have the right to say no

4
Selection and Grouping

• Open invitation or selected individuals?
• Who will select?
• Individuals, pairs or groups?
• Group size and composition

5
Child Protection and Safety

• Protecting children
• Protecting the interviewer
• Dealing with disclosure

6
Child Protection Guidance

• Liaise with staff about safety
• Group interviews may be preferable
• Balance privacy with openness
• Consider how to prevent/deal with disclosure

7
Practicalities

• Who own teacher, another staff member, governor,
  researcher, student researcher?
• When and where?
• Recording by written notes, sound recorder,
  video

8
Asking Questions that Make Sense

• Decide what you want to ask
• Keep it simple
• Speak their language
• Use concrete words
• Pilot your schedule

9
Ask a stupid question

• Q Whats your teacher like?
• Shes very nice, she helps us
• She likes coffee
• Shes got grey hair and a fat tummy

10
Using Tasks, Props and Cues

• Drawings
• Cue cards
• Tasks
• Puppets and role play
• Video/audio tapes

11
But Wont They Tell Me What They Think I Want to
Hear?

• Childrens expectations may be shaped by
• Experience of authority
• Experience of questions
• Wanting to fit in

12
Redressing the balance what can an interviewer
do?

• Explain research role
• Redress the power balance
• Explain why you want to know
• No right or wrong answers
• Be balanced and impartial
• Dont keep asking the same question

13
What Can the Interviewer Do?

• Group interviews trying to fit in
• Its OK to have different views
• Observe body language
• Intervene to control a dominant person

14
Whats in it for them?

• Altrusim (helping others)
• Expressing their views
• Rewards (e.g. stickers)
• Information (feedback)