Step-by-step, what is Research Buddies' standard procedure for working with children?   A research team looking to learn about child development will meet with your child's teachers and school administrators to explain their research. Before the study begins, consent forms and informational letters will always be sent home with each child. Each study has its own consent form. You will be informed of the details of each study and given the opportunity to decline to participate if you think the session might not be a good match for your child. Only children whose parents provide consent will be asked to participate. The researchers may spend time with the children in a group setting, such as in their classroom or on the playground, to introduce themselves and make sure the children feel comfortable. In some cases, the session will take place somewhere quiet at the child's school, such as an office or the school library. In other cases, you and your child will be invited to the university for the session.

Why do University researchers need to work with children?   Children's minds are amazing! Every stage of their development is unique, and capturing data at each of these stages gives researchers valuable insight about the way we acquire knowledge and skills. This research helps to inform educational practice to the benefit of teachers and pupils alike.

Why would I want my child to participate?   By collaborating with pupils from an early age, we hope to spark their interest in problem-solving and investigation. After the project is concluded, the school will receive a copy of the study's results; the research team may visit to explain the results to the children, and show them how their participation helped answer research questions. If it's age appropriate, the researchers may invite the children on a tour of their university building (with parental permission). Pupils' families may also be extended special invitations to seminars conducted by Newcastle University researchers about child development or other relevant topics, or receive vouchers to participate in NU-sponsored events.

Why would my child want to participate?   We want the experience to be a positive one for your child, so the data collection session will take the form of a game, designed to be age-appropriate and engage the children's interest. Common games and activities include playing on a computer, matching words with pictures, arranging blocks or shapes into patterns, and acting out words and phrases using toys. There are no “right” or “wrong” answers, and a child will never be thought of as doing “poorly” or “well” during the session. Your child may request to stop the session at any time. The aim of the session is to discover what is most natural for each child. Researchers often find that the children enjoy the activities so much, their peers are excited to try it and ask to go next!

What ethical and security measures are in place?   All participating projects will have received full ethical approval from the Newcastle University and Research Buddies committees. A full copy of Newcastle University's current ethics and security guidelines are available at http://www.ncl.ac.uk/research/ethics /goodpractice. Researchers will have a current DBS check. In many cases, an audio or video recording will be taken during the session. All resulting data will be appropriately stored in accordance with The Data Protection Act.