Abstract:

A considerable amount of survey research is carried out among children and young people for both economic and sociological purposes. This is a legitimate and valuable form of research but, as the ICC/ESOMAR International Code points out, it calls for special care and precautions on the part of the researcher. This Guideline specifies in more detail what such “special care” involves. It concentrates on the ethical issues involved and does not deal with the technical problems of such research. One difficulty is that at present there is no common international definition of child, young person etc. Even within a single country, the definition may vary with the activity under consideration. Because it would be very difficult to agree any general definition based on factors such as the child’s cognitive powers, to fulfil the objectives outlined above, this Guideline takes a straight-forward, practical approach to the issue. In addition, the interviewing of children and young people must in all respects conform to the general Rules set out in the main ICC/ESOMAR International Code, as well as to the requirements of data protection and other relevant legislation and to any National Code of Research Practice.