A new children’s research institute coming to King’s University College promises to be different for one key reason, its co-leader says.
A new children’s research institute coming to King’s University College at Western University promises to be different for one key reason, its co-leader says.
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Instead of experts telling others what kids need, they’ll be talking to children to find out in their own words what’s important to them, says professor Rachel Birnbaum.
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“It’s not research for or about children, it’s research with children,” said Birnbaum, who specializes in working with children from separated and divorced parents. “They’re going to be telling us what they need and what’s helpful to them, which also is quite unique.
“Usually academics go in to do research for children. We believe they (the children) are the experts and they’re going to tell us what’s important.”
King’s has been awarded $422,000 from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation for the development of a research institute with children. The money is an infrastructure grant, so it can be used to buy equipment to do research with kids, including those who may have neurological disabilities or school issues relating to divorce or separation, Birnbaum said.
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“It’s really exciting because we’ve never had one place to do this kind of research together and look at it from a very holistic perspective,” she said.
For example, the state-of-the-art center will enable deaf and hard-of-hearing children who use American sign language as their first language to take part in research.
Cathy Chovaz is co-leader of the new institute and a professor of psychology who works with deaf children. She says the funding “will place King’s at the forefront of children’s participatory rights and advance children’s well-being.”
The institute will be home to two research programs, one at King’s and the other at schools and agencies “to promote child well-being and mental health.”
Birnbaum said the new institute may one day mean a new building on campus. “That hasn’t been finalized, but it’s certainly something we could look at.”
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