Conducting ethical research: the experiences of street youth and children, researchers and welfare officers in Eldoret town - Kenya

Abstract

Background: There is increasing interest in research with Street Youth and Children (SYC) especially in developing countries. In addition to them being minors with no constant parental guardianship, SYC are faced with a myriad other socioeconomic challenges. Unfortunately, there are no clear guidelines for engaging SYC in research. This study engaged stakeholders to explore the process of conducting ethical research with SYC. Objectives: The study was guided by three objectives namely to: a) Gather experiences from SYC as research participants from previous studies b) Explore from investigators how they ensured autonomy, beneficence and justice for SYC research participants and c) Examine the role played by Children’s Welfare Officers (CWO) in promoting ethical research with SYC. Method: A cross sectional designed qualitative study whereby 30 respondents comprising 6 research investigators, 4 CWOs and 20 SYC were recruited and interviewed using tailored interview guides. Sampling was purposive and snow ball. Inductive method was used to harvest and build on themes supported by NVivo. Results: The autonomy of SYC is largely influenced by their age, literacy, power relations and access to basic needs. They associate research with benefits and have preferred alternative guardians. The county’s children’s office which is the legal guardian, is only actively engaged in providing the formal permission to engage SYC in research. With no standard approach, interpretations largely depend on an investigator’s discretion especially in recruiting, reimbursing and disseminating findings to SYC. Prior community mobilization, fairness in reimbursing, engagement of trusted guardians and dissemination of findings to participants emerged as common recommendations from respondents. Conclusion: Having unclear guidelines has contributed to variations in conducting research with SYC. The preferred way of community entry is through the connections trusted by the SYC. The children’s welfare department falls short of fulfilling their role as legal guardians to SYC as they are not regularly in touch with them, neither are they actively engaged. There is need to consolidate guidelines in research with SYC from shared the experiences. Recommendations: Enhance stakeholder engagement among them researchers, children’s welfare and rights crusaders, street leaders and community members to formalize guidelines to suit the context of SYC in research from the shared experiences, in addition, create awareness about research among the street population of Eldoret.