Telling One’s Story under Difficult Circumstances: Obstacles Encountered and Lessons Learned During a Study Involving Orphans in Care
This article provides a deeper understanding of the epistemological, methodological, and political issues associated with sociological surveys involving orphans and young people in care. It highlights how assumptions guiding the initial stages of research, before interviews take place, can influence a study and prevent researchers from uncovering new phenomena. Furthermore, the article emphasizes the importance of giving a voice to children and youth in care. We approach the analysis of challenges associated with accessing the voices of young people in the context of research conducted within France’s home-based child welfare system in two different ways. On the one hand, we focus on the ethical framework established before research activities begin. On the other hand, we explore resistance from social workers and educators, who serve as intermediaries between researchers and participating young people. Our findings highlight the crucial role played by a lack of awareness among these professionals as to the nature of the questions underlying a study and the legitimacy of the corresponding line of research. A close examination of the circumstances under which contact with young research participants occurs and interviews are conducted reveals a gap between predictive principles and the ethical dilemmas faced by sociologists in these situations.