Understanding and influencing research with children

Research 'with' children is becoming increasingly valued and accepted and there are many research projects where children are directly involved in research processes as researchers in their own right. Yet, even with changing views, children largely remain a silenced and invisible group-their faces typically absent or blurred in research, their voices usually missing from community decisions and forums. Views about research relationships with children and their status and location in research must continue to be topics of discussion, particularly in relation to ethical considerations and children's visibility in research and broader society. We use this chapter to consider how our researcher values and ethical commitments position children, determine their visibility and influence wider cultures of listening to children. We also explore the challenges of attending to and negotiating these.