The research circle as a strategy for developing knowledge about children’s participation in child welfare services

ABSTRACT

In this article I explore how the research circle can work as a strategy for knowledge development. The article is based on empirical material from the action research project A research circle on children’s participation in child welfare services (CWS), the objective of which was to improve the participation of children and adolescents in CWS. The participants in the project included representatives of three CWS offices in Norway and researchers from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL). This study provides a unique analysis of how the research circle model provides structure and strategies for combining critical reflection on practice with theoretical insight, promoting knowledge production and serving as basis for improving practice.

SAMANDRAG

I denne artikkelen utforskar eg korleis forskingsirkel har fungert som strategi for kunnskapsutvikling. Artikkelen er basert på empiri frå aksjonsforskingsprosjektet Forskingsirkel om barn sin medverknad i barnevernet, der målet var å betre praksisen kring barn og unge sin medverknad i barnevernet. Deltakarar i prosjektet var tre barneverntenester og to forskarar frå Høgskulen på Vestlandet (HVL). Konklusjonen er at forskingssirkelmodellen tilbyr ein struktur og ein arbeidsform som kan bidra til utvikling og ny forståing, og skape grunnlag for å endre praksis, gjennom kritisk refleksjon over praksis og teoretiske innspel.

KEYWORDS:

• Children’s participation
• research circle
• action research
• knowledge development
• critical reflection

NØKKELORD:

• barns medverknad
• forskingsirkel
• aksjonsforsking
• kunnskapsutvikling
• kritisk refleksjon

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Merete Tunestveit

Merete Tunestveit is a lecturer at Western Norway University of applied science where she teaches Child Welfare and Child Protection courses. She is also a PhD candidate at the project, Between practice, education and research; Research circle to develop new knowledge and practice to child welfare field and education. Her research interests are children`s participation and child poverty.