Towards research with children: Assessing participatory methods in England and Wales

This paper critically examines the use of the photostories method adapted from Photovoice in research with children, exploring its effectiveness in enabling decision-making and influencing change while addressing potential challenges. Specifically, it investigates the extent to which the photostories method enables children to make decisions and influence change while mitigating potential challenges, and how this contributes to a broader understanding of child participation in research. Using a reflective practice approach, the paper analyses researchers’ experiences alongside children’s accounts to assess how this participatory method enhances child agency. The research was conducted in collaboration with two United Kingdom-based organisations supporting underrepresented children. Data were drawn from three sources: evaluation interviews with children ( n = 18), researchers’ reflective diaries, and field notes recorded during the evaluation process. The analysis is grounded in reflective practice, considering both the implementation of photostories and the ethical complexities of working with children in research settings. Drawing on the frameworks of Lundy and Arnstein, the paper argues that power imbalances, ethical considerations, and safeguarding requirements mean that participation alone does not ensure full agency for children. This study critically examines who ultimately benefits from participatory methodologies that seek to amplify children’s voices, while also contributing to ongoing discussions about how the research process captures children’s lived experiences and shapes research outcomes.