Research Forum for the Child
Queen's University Belfast
School of Education
69/71 University Street
Belfast
BT7 1HL
Tel: +44 (0) 28 90975961
Fax: +44 (0) 28 90975066
research.education@qub.ac.uk
Director: Prof Laura Lundy, l.lundy@qub.ac.uk
News
- 13/12/11 Seminar: Child well-being and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child: what difference do rights make?
- 8/12/11 Seminar: Applying a child rights lens to health practice: Building and sustaining capacity among professionals
- 6/12/11 Seminar: Measuring the scope, quality and impact of children's participation
- Sexual and Reproductive Health SIG - Research Briefing No.1
- Autumn 2010: Newsletter
Past events of 2011
- 11/11/11 SIG Seminar in conjunction with Improving Childrens' Lives initiative by Dr Barry Lyons
- 24/10/11 SIG Seminar in conjunction with Improving Childrens' Lives initiative by Professor Beth Swadener
- 13/10/2011: SIG Public Lecture
- 1-2 June 2011: Annual Conference
- 27/05/2011: SIG Seminar by Dr Showunmi
- 16/05/2011: SIG Seminar by Prof Thomson
- 15/04/2011: SIG Seminar by Dr Darbellay
- 25/03/2011: SIG seminar by Gwyther Rees
- 14/03/2011: SIG Training
- 17/02/2011: Seminar by Prof Stein
- 26/01/2011: Seminar by Prof Chaskin
- 12/01/2011: SIG Postgraduate Training
To see 2010 news and events please click here
To see 2009 news and events please click here
To see 2008 news and events please click here
To see 2007 news and events please click here
To see 2006 news and events please click here
Tuesday 29 May 2012, 17.00 - 18.30, Canada Room, Lanyon Building
The School of Education in conjunction with the Research Forum for Child present an Open Lecture -
The Right to Education: A Historic Moment in India
By Professor Anita Rampal, Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of New Delhi, India
Please RSVP to Stewart McKibbin
Monday 21 May 2012, 14.00 - 16.30, Cathcart Room School of Education, 69 University Street
Children’s Voices: Visual and Participatory Research Methods with Children
Professor Anita Rampal, Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Delhi, India with Professor Ruth Leitch, School of Education, Queen’s University
This workshop is open to students (and staff) who are interetsed in learning more about creative possibilities for engaging children and young people in research. Professor Rampal has had extensive experience of researching with children (e.g. literacy campaigns) in India using creative verbal and visual methods and Professor Leitch will share her experience of analysing visual images and children’s narratives. Cross-cultural differences will be discussed. Students may bring children's writings/recordings/drawings and activities and commentary will be provided on possibilities for understanding/analysing such data with children.
Places limited: please contact Stewart McKibbin to secure a place.
Seminar by Professor Laura Lundy, School of Education, Queen's University Belfast
Date: Tuesday 13 December 2011
Time: 1.00pm - 2.30pm
Location: Room G13, School of Education, 69/71 University Street
For information on this event and details on how to register please click here.
Seminar by Gerison Lansdown, International Children's Rights Consultant
and Research Forum for the Child Visiting Scholar
Thursday, 8 December 2011, 10.00am - 1200pm
Venue: The Great Hall, Queen's University Belfast
Please click here for further information.
Tuesday 6 December 2011, 9.30am - 12.15pm
Venue: The Great Hall, Queen's University Belfast
This is a joint event by the University's Research Forum for the Child and the Improving Children's Lives Initiative. The event is free and open however space is limited and registration is therefore essential. To find out more please click here.
The 'Exploring Children’s Rights' SIG, in conjunction with the Improving Children’s Lives initiative, is holding a seminar on ‘Parents Rights, Children’s Rights and Decisions about Medical Care’ presented by Dr Barry Lyons, University of Manchester.
The seminar will take place in Lecture Theatre, Elmwood Teaching and Learning Centre from1.30pm - 3.00pm on 11 November 2011.
For further information and how to register please click here.
Citizens' Attitudes to Relationship and Sexuality Education in Post-Primary Schools in Northern Ireland.
Please click here to view paper.
Professor Beth Blue Swadener, Arizona University
‘Child Participation and Voice: Cross-national Perspectives’
The 'Exploring Children’s Rights' SIG, in conjunction with the Improving Children’s Lives initiative, is holding a seminar on Monday 24 October 2011, 3.30pm-5.00pm. Professor Beth Blue Swadener from Arizona University will be presenting on ‘Child Participation and Voice: Cross-national Perspectives’.
If you would like to attend the seminar please contact Dr Bronagh Byrne at b.byrne@qub.ac.uk. For further information click here.
'Relationship and Sexuality Education'
Sexual & Reproductive Health of Children & Young People SIG: 2nd annual public lecture
13 October 2011, 4pm-6pm
Old Staff Common Room
Speakers:
Professor Roger Ingham, Professor of Health & Community Psychology, Centre for Sexual Health Research, Southampton University;
Ms Joanna Gregg, Sexual Health Coordinator, Sexual Health Team, Belfast Health & Social Care Trust.
To view Professor Roger Inham's keynote address please click here.
To view Joanna Gregg's keynote address please click here.
For further information on this event, please click here.
‘Opportunities and Challenges: Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child’
1st-2nd June 2011
The Research Forum for the Child is holding its annual seminar on the theme of ‘Implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child’ at Queen’s University, Belfast on 1st and 2nd June 2011. The opening address will be given by Professor Michael Freeman, Professor of English Law at University College London and Founding Editor of the International Journal on Children’s Rights. Guest speakers also include Professor David Archard, Professor of Philosophy and Public Policy at the University of Lancaster; Dr Asher Ben-Arieh, from Hebrew University, Jerusalem, an international expert on social indicators; Dr Ursula Kilkelly, expert on children’s rights litigation and Director of the Child Law Clinic, University College Cork; Gerison Lansdown, International Children’s Rights Consultant and a Forum visiting scholar in 2011; and Professor Audrey Osler, University of Leeds, a leading expert on children’s rights education.
To see call for papers please click here.
Please click here to view the conference webpage for further information.
Contact: Dr Bronagh Byrne, b.byrne@qub.ac.uk.
Registration for this event is now Closed
27th May 2011
The Research Forum for the Child
Qualitative and Creative Inquiry Methods with Children
Intersectionality and the use of narrative to explore children’s identity
Dr Victoria Showunmi
Institute of Education, University of London
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Postgraduate Research Centre, 18 College Green
12.45 pm – 2.15 pm
While identity development is a complex task for all youths, it is particularly complicated for children and adolescents belonging to ethnic and racial minority groups in England. Definitions of identify are difficult to describe, however, most definitions refer to one or more of these features: ethnic/racial background: tradition; occupation/class and other aspects of social identity as defined by others and ourselves.
‘We and children are constructed by the labels we associate with particular identity forming categories – such as gender or class’
Iram Siraj-Blatchford (1996).
I intend to use various statements along with group activity to provide a stimulating discussion on the notion of children’s identity.
Dr Victoria Showuni, Faculty of Policy and Society, University of London is an educationalist, with extensive knowledge within the school, FE and HE sectors and someone whose research shows has an acute understanding of equality and diversity. She has been a member of a range of government Task Groups including New Deal for Lone Parents, New Deal for The Community, New Opportunities Funding Panel.
Please contact Ruth Leitch, SIG co-ordinator,
r.leitch@qub.ac.uk if you are interested in attending.
‘Theorising children’s rights as an inter and transdiscplinary field of study’
Seminar by Dr Frédéric Darbellay, University Institute Kurt Bösch (IUKB), Switzerland.
15 April 2011, 12.30pm-2pm,
Room 01/037, School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work
The 'Exploring Children’s Rights' Special Interest Group is holding a seminar on 15 April 2011. Dr Frédéric Darbellay, from the University Institute Kurt Bösch (IUKB) in Switzerland.will be presenting on ‘Theorizing children’s rights as an inter- and transdisciplinary field of study.’
The seminar will take place in Room 01/037, School of Sociology and Social Policy.
For more information on the seminar please click here. For more information on this Special Interest Group please click here to view the SIG webpage.
If you wish to attend, please contact Dr Bronagh Byrne, b.byrne@qub.ac.uk
“Visual research and the ‘hard to reach’ child”
Seminar by Prof Pat Thomson
16 May 2011, 12.30pm to 2.15pm
Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Postgraduate Research Centre, 18 College Green
Abstract: It is increasingly the case that those who want to do research with children and young people who are considered ‘hard to reach’, ‘at risk’ and/or ‘vulnerable’ are turning to visual methods. It is now commonplace to hear researchers suggest that the use of images – drawings, cartoons, photographs and videos – will open up new avenues for young people to communicate their views. In this presentation I will explore this idea, using a series of examples from my own and others’ work, where visual methods have been ‘successful’ and less ‘successful’. I will suggest that institutional settings, relationship building and ownership are key issues for researchers to consider in any research with these groups of young people and children, and that there are particular and very specific considerations in the case of the visual.
To confirm attendance and for further information, please contact: Prof Ruth Leitch
To view the original flyer please click here.
For further information on this special interest group please click here.
‘Understanding children’s well-being: Findings from a national survey of young people’s well-being’
Seminar by Gwyther Rees
Friday 25 March 2011, 12pm-2pm
Seminar Room 2, First Floor, Institute of Governance, University Road
Gwyther Rees will present a Child Forum seminar ‘Understanding children’s wellbeing: Findings from a national survey of young people’s well-being’.
Gwyther is Research Director for The Children's Society, a national children's charity in England. He has had a lead role in developing The Children's Society programme of research on children's subjective well-being, which is being undertaken jointly with the University of York. The presentation will provide an overview of findings from the research programme to date, and will also look specifically at new findings (to be published in March 2011) on the links between inequalities and subjective well-being.
The seminar will take place on 25 March 2011 from 12.00pm to 2.00pm in Seminar Room 2, First Floor, Institute of Governance, University Road, Belfast
Lunch will be provided.
If you would like to attend the seminar please contact Joanne Robinson at joanne.robinson@qub.ac.uk
To view the original flyer please click here.
For further information on the ‘Children’s Well-being and Quality of Life’ special interest group please click here.
Quantitative Research Methods with Children & Young People SIG
'Getting Started using Quantitative Research Methods with Children & Young People
14 March 2011, The Great Hall
This training event is organised by the Improving Children's Lives initiative at Queen's in association with the Research Forum for the Child to provide a basic introduction to some of the key issues involved in carrying out quantitative research with children and young people.
Please click here for further information and for more information on this Special Interest Group please click here.
'The Neglect of Adolescent Neglect'
Seminar by Professor Mike Stein
Thursday 17 February 2011
4pm-5pm (tea/coffee from 3.40pm)
Room 1.37, School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work, 6 College Park
The Research Forum for the Child and the School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work will jointly host a seminar by Professor Mike Stein from the Social Policy Research Unit in the University of York.
For further information please click here to view the original flyer, or alternatively contact John Pinkerton, School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, j.pinkerton@qub.ac.uk or 028 90975117
Research Methods with Children and Young People
Postgraduate Training Course
'Creatively Researching with Children and Young People’
12 January 2011, Postgraduate Research Training Room, 18 College Green
The course is recommended for those who have some basic familiarity with qualitative research methods and who wish to extend their expertise in working sensitively with children and young people in research.
For further information please click here, and to book a place please contact Ruth Buchanan at pg.training@qub.ac.uk.
The Research Forum for the Child latest newsletter is now available!
Autumn 2010 newsletter pdf ebook
'International Exchange in Children’s Research
– costs and benefits in networking'
Seminar by Professor Rob Chaskin, School of Social Service Administration/Chapin Hall Centre for Children University of Chicago, USA
26 January 2011, 1pm-2pm
Room 1.35, School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work, 6 College Park
Global networking is often promoted as a necessary underpinning to the effective internationalisation of research. Less often considered is what makes for effective and sustained networking and do the benefits always justify the costs?
Professor Chaskin will reflect on those questions to draw out lessons learnt from over a decade as Director of Chapin Hall’s International Program and convener of a network of child policy research centers from Africa, South America, Europe, North America, the Middle East and East Asia.
Professor Chaskin trained as an anthropologist and sociologist. His research interests include theories of community and strategies for community change, participatory planning and democratic governance at the neighbourhood level and the effective application of knowledge to inform community practice and policy. Children and young people provide the focus for these interests. His publications include: “Research for Action: Cross-National Perspectives on Connecting Knowledge, Policy, and Practice for Children”.
Tea/Coffee & Sandwiches will be available from 12.40pm
For further information contact John Pinkerton, School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work, email: j.pinkerton@qub.ac.uk or Tel 90975117