Expect the unexpected

Conducting research with young people requires methodologies which are informed by an awareness of engaging with children and young people in order to research respectfully with them. In our research with marginalised young people and the social resilience they experienced, we had attempted to follow best practice. The hidden values and assumptions internalised and institutionalised in adult child relations however revealed barriers from unexpected sources. This paper exposes the barriers in working with children and young people which go beyond the dualisms evident in adult child relations and which limit our understandings. It argues that while ever we fail to appreciate the unique contribution of young people we remain guilty of reinforcing the status quo and preventing the creation of new and possibly transformative knowledge.