Co-production and student voice: mapping possibilities for research with children and young people with communication needs

Joseph Mintz and Jill Bradshaw

Chapter 13 in Handbook of Social Justice in Education, 2026, pp 189-204 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Concerns persist about how far the voices of children and young people with learning and communication needs are heard in educational, social and health research. This chapter argues that, for researchers to collaborate authentically and represent these children's needs, the current gap in effective approaches to engagement and communication must be addressed. We examine how identity and voice have been conceptualised within disability studies and consider the implications for research methods. An overview of existing knowledge highlights progress but also reveals significant gaps. We contend that much more must be done to equip the next generation of researchers with the training and skills necessary to meaningfully include the perspectives of children and young people with communication needs. Only through such efforts can research claim to represent and support this group, ensuring their voices are genuinely heard.

Keywords: Co-production; Augmentative and Alternative Communication; Individualisation; Barriers to Involvement; Creative Approaches (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035318445
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