44Researching young children perspectivesIn short, we felt that ethnographic methods were a particularly useful medium for engaging with children and, albeit temporarily, provided the opportunity to engage with the ways in which children construct, discuss and make sense of differing aspects of their everyday lives. For us, we saw ethnography as a useful way of understanding ow people make sense of the world in their everyday life�(Hammersley and Atkinson, 2006: 2), or in this research, how children are making sense of their everyday world(s) through their roleplay. Using focus groups and other visual task-based methods that are seen as a positive way of engaging effectively with children (Prosser, 1998) also enabled the data to be located within a wider sociological framework but without losing their child-centric view. A note about research ethos Traditionally, doing research with children has been seen, in some senses, as a risky enterprise (Hood et al., 1996), but to be able to give children the chance to have a voice and express their thoughts and feelings on their lives can be empowering both for the children and researchers alike. As Prout concludes, nly through different participative mechanisms at all levels of society can different children interests and experiences have a chance of being heard�(2000: 10), and this was the premise on which we based the project. Thus from its inception the project was a collaborative endeavour between the children, the research team and the schools. Further, we regarded the children as experts and agents in their own lives, and aspired to embed the research in current and future practice (Clark and Moss, 2001). We were also mindful that how we view children position in the wider social world is clearly going to affect the methods that are adopted and the interpretation of the data that are collected. As Morrow and Richards suggest, n terms of methodology, researchers need to think carefully about the standpoint from which they are studying children, and the ethical implications of that standpoint�(1996: 100). Our standpoint was thus to place the children at the centre of the research and not get too caught up with the concerns and pressures of the prevailing adult agendas. In short, we wanted to listen to children on any levels�(Clarke and Moss, 2001). Quite how we can convey this in print remains a considerable challenge for us, but in keeping with our approach to the research itself, we will endeavour to keep the children voices at the centre of this book. Reflexivity Consideration of both the research topic and the ontological positioning of the researcher is a key part of ethnography, ensuring that the researcher reflexively monitors her own position as the researcher as well as the research
