Drawing across distance: visual methods in virtual research with immigrant and refugee children

This methodological reflection examines the use of visual methods, particularly drawing, in virtual research with immigrant and refugee children in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper specifically focuses on the methodological design, ethical considerations, and practical adaptations required when using visual tools with children from culturally diverse backgrounds in an online setting. By using examples from a larger qualitative study, which was conducted virtually from October to December 2021 and explored the perceptions of wellbeing among immigrant and refugee children in Canada, we demonstrate how visual methods helped children to communicate experiences that would otherwise go unheard in traditional interviews. Our findings contribute to the growing literature on child-centred research by providing concrete insights for scholars and practitioners seeking to apply creative, ethically grounded methodologies in virtual and cross-cultural contexts.