This paper argues that ethical problems in research involving direct contact with children can be overcome by using a participatory approach. A study of children’s participation in decisions when they are looked after is described in terms of how a view of the `social child'(James, 1995) shaped the approach to establishing contact with children, the choice of topics and methods of communication which were used, and the way in which children were given opportunities to interpret the data for themselves. The paper concludes with thes uggestion that a participatory approach can also assist with reliability and validity.