Interviewing Children at Home: Exploring the Use of Individual and Focus Group Interviews

Citation

Punch S & Graham E (2016) Interviewing Children at Home: Exploring the Use of Individual and Focus Group Interviews. In: Evans, R H, L & Skelton T (eds.) Methodological Approaches: Geographies of Children and Young People, Volume 2. Geographies of Children and Young People, 2. Singapore: Springer, pp. 1-23. https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-981-4585-89-7_26-1; https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4585-89-7_26-1

Abstract
This chapter considers the methodological issues and generational power relations involved in conducting research with children in the home setting. The paper discusses some task-based interview tools as well as the advantages and disadvantages of interviewing children individually and in groups within the home context. Moral, emotional, and practical considerations are explored before, during, and after doing interviews with children at home. Ethical and spatial issues are examined along with the power imbalances both between child participants and between children and researchers.

Keywords
Interviews; Focus groups; Interview tools; Generational power; Siblings

People

Professor Samantha Punch

Professor, Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology