Ethical considerations

1. Very young children cannot fully know our intentions so we must make sure that we have carefully considered their participation in our work.

1.1 Ethical considerations for very young children:

• We consider young children as experts in their own lives, strong, resourceful problem solvers who generate new ideas.
• We acknowledge that children under three are not adults and they may not fully understand adult-intentions for research/creative processes and their participation must therefore be thought about carefully as they are not in a position to give fully informed consent to participate.
• Very young children’s ongoing withdrawal of assent to participate will be closely monitored. Indicators may be through e.g., body language, vocalisations, eye contact.
• Preservation of anonymity – as we share images and film as research, participants’ anonymity may be compromised. We will ensure that adult caregivers are fully informed of the storage and use of film extracts and still images generated as research.
• Storage and deletion of data – Other than film extracts and still images in the public domain all other data will be destroyed after 5 years.
• In writing about and sharing our work we ensure that all participants are portrayed as competent, capable and agentic.

1.2  Ethical considerations for parents/caregivers:

Parents/caregivers have full understanding of what will happen to their own and their children’s contributions/participation in our work.

• We consider parent/caregivers to be experts in their children’s lives
• We consider parents/caregivers to be experts in their own lives
• We will ensure that parents/caregivers are given every opportunity to find out all they need to know about our research before agreeing to participate.
• Parent/caregiver will be given information that outlines what their child’s and their participation will entail.

• Parent/caregiver consent to participate will be sought after they have been able to ask any questions.
• Parent/caregivers can freely withdraw their consent to participate without it affecting their connection and engagement with Magic Acorns activities. 
• Preservation of anonymity – as we share images and film as research, participants’ anonymity may be compromised. We will ensure that adult caregivers are fully informed of the storage and use of film extracts and still images generated as research and they will be asked to opt-in to give permission for the use of their image and their children’s image to be used for dissemination and sharing.
• Storage and deletion of data – Other than film extracts and still images in the public domain all other data will be destroyed after 5 years from the start of the research.

1.3  Ethical consideration for artists

All professionals working with Magic Acorns have full understanding of what will happen to their contribution/participation in our organisation.

Points to consider:

• Artists will be given information that outlines creative research as part of their work with Magic Acorns
• Creative research dimensions will be included in induction for new artists
• Creative research will form part of a CPD session for artists

2.Art as a form of knowing and knowledge creation

Art created with very young children and artists is research.

Following Manning (2015) we posit: 

• Art makings are knowledge creation that are extra-linguistic. 
• Art creation is a practice of concepts
• We seek to not separate the human from the ‘ecologies of the encounter’ – to  avoid the ‘bifurcation of nature’.
• This calls for ‘radical empiricism’ (William James, 2003 ) that starts in the midst of relationships.

Manning, E. (2015). Against method. In Non-representational methodologies (pp. 52-71). Routledge.