The aim of the session is to enable participants to gain insight into the theory and practice of reference group work with children in relation to researching children’s experiences and views.  It will offer insight into broad aspects of reference groups as well as an opportunity to explore data from two individual pieces of research. 

The workshop is based on two research projects: 'Views of Psychotherapies' and 'Understanding and communicating the lived experience of children and young people facing severe and multiple disadvantage'. The first is a practitioner research project which seeks to identify, represent and understand looked after children’s perspectives of their engagement in psychotherapy interventions within a residential out of home care setting for boys in Malta.  The second was a UK based pilot project which aimed to develop ways of working that maximised the potential of participatory research to enable children and young people experiencing severe and multiple disadvantage to research and represent their experiences and views.  Reference groups were set up in each project to consult children about the design and implementation of the research.  

The session will involve a presentation and active small group work. Participants will be taken through the various stages of reference group work and then will consider data from the groups. Data involved recordings of the reference groups and field notes taken by the researchers. The session will include a consideration of lessons learnt / insights gained in terms of participatory practices with children and the wider implications of the reference groups' experiences.