‘Hmm, they’re not stranger danger’: Facilitating Ethically Open Spaces for Children and Young People

The way that children and young people engage within research continues to progress from the historical bio-medical notions of passiveness, towards contemporary, collaborative methodologies, and frameworks. Children and young people have the right to participate meaningfully in processes that affect them, and scholarship surrounding how this happens continues to develop. However, contemporary literature is predominantly concerned with why children and young people engage in research and overlooks how researchers and facilitators work with young people to navigate the contextual influences that shape the way they engage. The qualitative data presented within this paper was collected through two focus groups through which participants aged 8–10 years were asked about their experience in a trauma-informed program in their school. Utilising reflexive thematic analysis, we highlight significant themes in their experience of the facilitation of a trauma-informed program and the subsequent focus groups, including safety, choice, and resistance. By reflexively examining the participant’s experience of the program and the focus groups, this paper adds to current research arguing that researchers must reflect on how young people are engaging in the social context, not just why it is important for them to do so. Furthermore, we provide insight into the social context that informs how young people feel they should be engaging and the impact on the ongoing negotiation of consent in ethically open spaces.