Engage

Research and publications

This library provides valuable knowledge to strengthen work with children and young people in decision-making processes. It includes studies that have used methods enabling children to share their views directly, as well as extensive surveys gathering responses from many children. Here you will find research and publications that bring forward children’s viewpoints.

Elin Eriksen Ødegaard et al.
Aotearoa (New Zealand), Norway and Tanzania, 
2026
Exploring how young children experience and make meaning of water across Norway, Aotearoa (New Zealand) and Tanzania. Based on participatory, arts-based methods with 270 children and teachers in early childhood settings.
Changefactory
Norway, 
2025
Asking pupils for advice on what it takes for interprofessional collaboration to feel safe. 106 pupils, aged 12-17, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Jill Duerr Berrick et al.
Norway, Finland, Ireland & USA, 
2025
Examining youth attitudes about child protection from youth in four countries. The study also compares youth attitudes to adult attitudes in Norway and the U.S. The study is based on surveys from 2010 young people aged 15-17.
English
“Information and support services for children aged 9 to 12 years: Children’s experiences with and preferences for support services”
Lars Jørun Langøien et al.
Norway, 
2025
Investigating what children need, hope for, and experience in relation to information and support services. Drawing on focus groups with 92 children aged 9-12 and interviews with 20 young people aged 16-19.
Norwegian
Clémence Orain et al.
France, 
2025
Exploring children with disabilities’ experiences and perspectives on their outdoor play in school playgrounds. Walking and Talking tour interviews were conducted with 13 children aged 6 to 12, with various disabilities.
English
Department of Education Ireland
Ireland, 
2025
Exploring the views of Traveller and Roma young people in Ireland on their school experience, access to education, and educational outcomes. Based on creative, participatory consultations with 61 young people aged 11-17.
English
Monika Haga et al.
Norway, 
2024
Exploring how 10th grade students in Norway understand the concept of health and experience health-related teaching in physical education (PE). The study is based on three focus group interviews with 12 pupils aged 15 to 16.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2024
Asking pupils for advice on how adults in school can contribute to more inclusion and less bullying. 240 children, aged 8-18, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Tonje Helland Lindborg et al.
Norway, 
2024
Understanding the experience of 18 boys aged 12 with mental health and school health services, using focus groups and individual interviews to gather their perspectives.
English
Ombudsman for Children in Norway
Norway, 
2024
What makes it difficult for children to be at school, and how can it be made easier? The report has collected responses from children and young people through an expert group of six participants aged 14 to 18.
Norwegian
Mikael B. Andersén et al.
Sweden, 
2024
Examining young people’s perceptions of mental health and the factors impacting their willingness to seek help. Qualitative interviews with 21 young people aged 15-22 explore what shapes their views and choices.
English
“Student Participation in School – From the Students’ Perspective”
Børnerådet, Danske Skoleelver and Unicef Denmark
Denmark, 
2024
Providing insight into how lower secondary students in public schools experience being involved and having influence in their education. Based on a survey of 1836 students and interviews with 6 students.
Danish
“Influence, Exploration and Excitement. Adolescents’ Experiences with Aesthetic Expressions in Teaching”
Hanne Alterhaug
Norway, 
2024
Exploring how students experience teaching that involves aesthetic expressions across the subjects Norwegian, Mathematics, and Social Science. Based on observations, films, and qualitative interviews with 28 pupils aged 15 to 16.
Norwegian
“(Im)possibilities for Participation and School Absence”
Gro Emmertsen Lund et al.
Denmark, 
2024
Exploring why some students attend school while others withdraw, using interviews with over 30 children and young people aged 7 to 20, and observations from schools, therapy sessions, and homes.
Danish
“7 advice from young people in Lillestrøm”
Sara Berge Lorenzen et al.
Norway, 
2024
Aims at exploring young people’s experiences and developing new knowledge about youth participation that can also benefit other municipalities. Eight young people aged 14 to 18 were involved as co-researchers.
Norwegian
Anabel Corral-Granados et al.
Norway and Sweden, 
2024
Examining how children in two Nordic cities view their education and well-being in the context of social inequality. The study draws on 27 group interviews with 91 children aged 9 to 12 in two urban Nordic cities.
English
Yinshan Su and Jin Huang
China, 
2024
Exploring the perspectives of preschool children on growing up. Participant observations, semi-structured interviews, and drawing-telling were employed to investigate 56 urban Chinese preschoolers.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2024
Asking children for advice on how adults can make it safe for children to trust them, tell safely and decide with them. 211 young people, aged 11-20, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Bernadine Brady et al.
Ireland, 
2024
Investigating participation in the Youth Advocate Programme (YAP), a large non-profit child welfare organisation. Draws on qualitative interviews and focus groups with young people, parents, advocates, and staff and management.
English
Nalan Sevinçli and B. Ece Şahin
Turkey, 
2024
Gathering insight on how to design better private space in kindergarten with the help of the children’s perspective. 20 children aged 5 to 6 have conveyed their thoughts through drawings, group and individual interviews.
English
Christoph Kreinbucher-Bekerle and Julia Mikosch
Austria, 
2023
Exploring school students’ perspectives on sports trips, focusing on their involvement, participation, and opportunities to contribute to the planning of the activities. Draws on 14 group interviews with 47 students aged 14 to 16.
English
Frédérique C Rongen et al.
Netherlands, 
2023
Exploring how children, parents and staff perceive the current packed lunch situation and the possible introduction of school-provided lunches in primary schools. Draws on qualitative data from 98 interviews with pupils.
English
“Young People’s Views on Openness about Mental Health: A Qualitative Study”
Natalie Rolandsgard et al.
Norway, 
2023
Gathering insights into how young people understand and relate to the growing norm of openness about mental health. It is based on interviews and focus groups with 26 young people aged 16-19.
Norwegian
Vibeke Krane et al.
Norway, 
2023
Experiences of young people receiving child welfare services regarding video consultations (VC) in mental health care. Both qualitative interviews and surveys are incorporated to gather insights.
English
Ola Demkowicz et al.
England, 
2023
Exploring children and young people’s views on what supports wellbeing during school transitions. Perspectives from 49 children and young people aged 6-17 were gathered through focus groups and creative storybook-based methods.
English
“Blood Is Not Always Thicker Than Water”
Ombudsperson for Children in Norway
Norway, 
2023
What is important in foster care and when moving into fostercare, follow-up from child welfare services and contact with biological family. Based on conversations with 20 children and 12 young adults aged 7-28.
Norwegian
“Silly and Serious Adults: Children’s Stories about Adults’ Roles in Play in Kindergarten and School”
Maja Reinåmo Olsson
Norway, 
2023
Looking at how children perceive and express the roles educators take in play during kindergarten and early school years. It is based on group interviews with first-grade children, analysed as “playful stories.”
Norwegian
Helen Saarnik et al.
Estonia, 
2023
Exploring children’s participation and perspectives based on their experiences of child protection removal practices. Perspectives of 31 children aged 10-16 were collected through semi-structured and focus group interviews.
English
“Who Should I Talk To Now?”
Ombudsperson for Children in Norway
Norway, 
2022
Investigating if children with mental health problems received good enough help in the municipality, and what is needed to get good help. Based on conversations with 17 young people aged 14-19, municipal staff, and organisations.
Norwegian
Laia G. Meldahl et al.
Norway, 
2022
Exploring adolescents’ views on ideal healthcare for mental health needs. 295 adolescents shared perspectives at a seminar, and 10 co-researchers aged 16-20 contributed deeper insights via group discussions and self-reflection.
English
Sebastian Slotte et al.
Norway, 
2022
Factors that encourage adolescent boys without prior experience with mental health services to seek assistance. The study is based on Qualitative focus group interviews with 12 boys aged 16-18.
English
Veronica Hermann et al.
Sweden, 
2022
Exploring Swedish adolescents’ conceptual views of mental health and mental health problems, using semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews with 32 young people aged 15-18 to gather insights.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2022
Asking children for advice on how family guidance has to be done for it to feel safe and helpful for children. 101 children, aged 8-18, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Jodi Streelasky
Canada, 
2022
Investigating children’s perspectives on their friendships at school in a super-diverse classroom in Canada. The study is based on drawings by 16 kindergarten children, followed by conversations and participant observations.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2022
Asking children in kindergarten for advice on what feels safe and not safe in kindergarten. 722 children, aged 2-5, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Åse Haraldstad et al.
Norway, 
2022
Exploring how pupils experience the practice of democratic rights in lower secondary schools, focusing on pupil-teacher dialogue, pupil councils, and classroom discussions. Based on 12 semi-structured interviews with pupils.
English
Jørgen Hammer Smedsrud et al.
Norway, 
2022
Investigating the views of gifted students regarding their teachers’ competence in mathematics, and their experience of boredom in school. Draws on qualitative interviews with 11 gifted pupils aged 16 to 19.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2021
Asking pupils for advice on what it takes for children to tell what is most important to them, what pupils wish to help decide, and in what ways. 1962 pupils, aged 8-16, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Henning Plischewski et al.
Norway, 
2021
Evaluating the attitudes of kindergarten teachers towards ‘Henry first aid training’ and 3–6-year-olds’ understanding of first aid. Fifty children participated in semi-structured interviews before and after using Henry.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2021
Asking children for advice on how children must be met at residential child care institutions for it to feel safe and helpful to live there. 152 children aged 11-18, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2021
Asking children for advice on what it takes for children to talk safely in the Child Protection System. 110 children and young people, aged 8-19, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
“Doing “what’s kind of the plan” – a qualitative interview study of school stress among adolescent girls as a structural problem”
Janne Lund et al.
Norway, 
2021
Exploring how girls experience school-related stress and the institutional pressures behind it. It is based on in-depth interviews with 10 girls aged 15-16 years.
Norwegian
“A qualitative study of why adolescents attend outpatient treatment in mental healthcare”
Stig E. Bjønness et al.
Norway, 
2021
Exploring what helps or hinders adolescents in attending outpatient mental health therapy. Based on qualitative interviews with 14 young people aged 16-18 years, to gather insights and perspectives.
Norwegian
Hilde Alme and Monika Alvestad Reime
Norway, 
2021
Exploring how children and staff experience children’s participation through play and everyday life in kindergartens that organise most of the days outside. Draws on focus group interviews with 30 children aged 3-5.
English
“Students with School Refusal and Their Experience of Implemented Measures”
Charlotte Tendenes Gabrielsen and Trude Havik
Norway, 
2021
Exploring efforts to address school refusal, based on qualitative interviews with 4 students from grades 6 to 9, who struggle with attending school.
Norwegian
“I Wish I Could Carry Children and Adolescents’ Psychiatric Outpatient Services in a Suitcase”
Ombudsperson for Children in Norway
Norway, 
2020
Investigating whether young people who need help from mental health services receive good and adapted help when they need it. Based on 26 interviews with young people aged 13-19, parents, therapists and leaders.
Norwegian
Changefactory
Norway, 
2020
Asking children for advice on how to give safe and useful help. 100 children and young people aged 15-20, with experience from receiving psychiatric medication, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
Changefactory
Norway, 
2020
Asking children for advice on how to prevent children from using violence and how to stop children in a safe way when they are using violence. 101 children, aged 13-20, gave advice through participatory, qualitative interviews.
English
“”They Think We Are Shitkids””
Ombudsperson for Children in Norway
Norway, 
2020
Report about residential child care institutions, including all types of institutional placements. The report is based on access to documents and conversations with 39 young people aged 15-20 and employees at institutions.
Norwegian
Alice Grønhøj and Malene Gram
Denmark, 
2020
Exploring parents’ and children’s understandings of children’s influence and family interaction with food consumption practices. 35 children aged 5-6 years were interviewed using semi-structured interviews in five kindergartens.
English
Anita McAllister et al.
Finland, Sweden and Iceland, 
2019
Exploring how children describe the preschool environment and experiences with noise, voice, and verbal communication. 48 children participated in the study through individual and focus group interviews in kindergarten.
English
“Don’t just say it’s going to be okay”
Save the Children Norway
Norway, 
2019
Pupils’ voices about well-being and bullying in school and how the school can improve the psychosocial environment for pupils. Based on conversations with 850 pupils in 5th, 6th, and 7th grade, and pupil councils.
Norwegian
Barbara Maria Sageidet et al.
Norway and Australia, 
2019
Comparing the understandings of environmental and sustainability-related issues of children in kindergartens in Norway and Australia. Structured conversations were conducted with 40 children aged 4–5 years, 20 from each country.
English
Karen Guo and Kiyomi Kuramochi
Japan, 
2019
Aiming to explore children’s educational experiences with kindergarten teachers, young children and their parents. The study conducted focus group interviews with 24 children, based on drawings made by the children.
English
Silvia Pérez-García et al.
Spain, 
2019
Investigating how young people in residential child care assess the quality of care. Based on interviews with 209 youth aged 11-20, covering general care, therapeutic care, and preparation for adult life.
English
“Shifting Rules and Practices in a Child Welfare Institution: Implications for Young People’s Sense of Safety and Well-being”
Gro Ulset
Norway, 
2018
Examining how inconsistent informal rules in a child welfare institution affect young people’s feelings of safety and well-being. Based on fieldwork with 4 young people, including observation, conversations, and interviews.
Norwegian
“There is no use in telling an adult – Children and youth do not trust that adults can help when they are subjected to bullying”
Anne Helgeland and Ingrid Lund
Norway, 
2018
Exploring how youth view the role of adults in responding to bullying. A qualitative analysis of 150 conversations from a national bullying support service and interviews with 6 members of the associated Youth Council aged 9-19.
Norwegian
Inger Sofie Dahlø Husby et al.
Norway, 
2018
Gathering insights on how innovative approaches are needed to facilitate children’s participation in service development, based on semi-structured interviews with ten children aged 9 to 17 about collaborating with professionals.
English
“Children and preschool teachers in conversations about aesthetical query in the kindergarten”
Marit Alvestad and Rudy Garred
Norway, 
2018
Examining how children in preschool and their teachers engage in conversations about art, fantasy, and reality. Based on focus group interviews with 10 children aged 4-6 years, in three different kindergartens.
Norwegian
Vera Van den Berg et al.
Netherlands, 
2018
Exploring 10 to 13-year-old primary school pupils’ views on how to increase physical activity during the school day, with a focus on their preferences and suggestions. The study is based on nine focus groups with 52 children.
English
“Children’s Stories About Play in Kindergarten in a Time Shaped by Modern Media”
Marit Alvestad et al.
Norway, 
2017
Exploring how children’s play is connected to modern media and how preschool teachers perceive this in everyday practice. Drawing on group conversations with 10 children aged 4-6 years and in-depth interviews.
Norwegian
Stefan Persson et al.
Sweden, 
2017
Exploring the experiences and preferences of children and adolescents with outpatient and community mental health services, through focus group interviews with 7 children and written feedback from 106 children aged 10-18.
English
Lucianne Palmquist et al.
Australia, 
2017
Aiming to develop a comprehensive account of the experiences and expectations of adolescents as they encounter mental disorders and transition through specialist mental health services. Draws on interviews with 12-17 year olds.
English
Kerry Muench et al.
England, 
2016
Exploring children’s and parents’ understanding of child protection conferences through interviews with 23 children ages 8-18 and 26 parents, all children lived at home with at least one parent.
English
Anne Helgeland and Ingrid Lund
Norway, 
2016
Investigating children’s understanding and experiences of bullying, using individual interviews and focus group interviews with 31 five-year-old children and observation of 142 children aged 4–5 in the same settings.
English
Anita Burgund and Nevenka Zegarac
Serbia, 
2015
Understanding how young people in care view their strengths, the role of the care system, how life experiences affect their strengths, and how they see their future. Based on semi-structured interviews with 16 youth aged 13-18.
English
“Not a Place to Call Home? The Impact of the Use of Physical Force in Child Welfare Institutions”
Gro Ulset and Torill Tjelflaat
Norway, 
2013
Highlighting young people’s experiences with restraint and coercive practices in residential care. It is informed by interviews with 11 young people aged 16-17 living in child welfare institutions.
Norwegian

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