To contribute to the methodological and ethical discourse on children’sparticipation in research on complex issues, this case-study critically discusses experiences from a large-scale randomized interview study about preschool education for sustainability in Sweden. Young children’s ability to express their views has been subject to debate, resulting in them often being excluded asresearch participants. Hence, age-appropriate methodological approaches are needed to ensure their participation.
This study draws from Josefsson and Wall’s(2020) concept of children’s “empowered inclusion” and Lundy’s (2007) model of voice, space, audience, and influence.
Employing a qualitative case-studyapproach, methodological approaches and ethical considerations and experiences of a randomized study are scrutinized. A total of 403 children from 50 preschools were interviewed about sustainability using illustrations. An interview instrument was developed and pretested in two iterations. Data were analyzed thematically. The Swedish Ethical Review Authority did not raise any objection to the interview study. Consent to participate was collected from parents and children.
They were informed that the children could withdraw at any time if they wanted. The findings demonstrate that research with young children can be undertaken in an ethically acceptable manner. The use of illustrations was helpful in creating a friendly environment and supporting children’s understanding of complex issues. Individual and pair interviews were effective while group interviews were problematic. Children’s attention dropped after 12-15 minutes. These findings suggest that preschool children can express their views on important matters under ethically acceptable and methodologically appropriate conditions.