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Pilot Project
In order to ‘try out’ a number of different methods with primary school age children (i.e. below 12 years of age) and to assess the kinds of data these methods produce with different aged children the Migrant Children Research Team decided to approach a number of schools in Cork city and ask them whether they would be interested in taking part in a pilot research study. Primary schools which were known to have pupils with migrant backgrounds (on the basis of a related questionnaire survey of schools and childcare providers carried out on behalf of NASC a Cork-based immigrant advice and resources centre in June 2006) were contacted. Once three schools had replied that they were interested in the project, meetings were organised between members of the Migrant Children Research Team and school principals and class teachers.
The members of the Migrant Children Research Team briefly outlined the research project and what we wished to do with the children in the classroom (see below). From the outset it was decided that at no point would migrant children be separated from, nor selected out of, their classes for special attention or scrutiny. We agreed with the school authorities that, once parental/guardians’ (written) and children’s (verbal) consent had been obtained, we would work with groups of children regardless of their country or birth, migration history or nationality.
In each school access was negotiated to carry out a drawing exercise and group discussion activity with first or second class groups (aged 6-8) and a photography exercise with fifth or sixth class groups (aged 10-12).
Active (written) consent was sought from parents/guardians through a letter addressed to parents/guardians (which was translated to meet the specific language needs of individual parents). Each child also received a letter from the Migrant Children Research Team outlining the activities and asking them to consider being involved. It was made clear that without explicit written parental permission children could not take part, also it was repeated that children could change their minds and ‘retire’ from the project at any point.
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