A scoping review of participatory approaches in child maltreatment research across Europe

Background: Participatory approaches in child maltreatment (CM) research increasingly focus on involving children, youth, and adults as co-researchers. However, little is known about their use in Europe. Objective: To review the European literature on participatory approaches in CM research. Methods: The study was undertaken by members of the Euro-CAN (COST Action 19,106) representing 35 countries in the European region. Focusing on the European research literature, we searched eight databases for studies investigating CM and using a participatory approach. The review followed scoping review guidelines and PRISMA-ScR, with thematic analysis for data synthesis. Results: We identified 4927 potentially relevant articles, of which 307 were fully assessed for eligibility, and eight were ultimately included. The included studies addressed all types of CM; however, only two studies involved child and youth survivors of CM, while six involved children and youth from the community. Notably, no studies involving adult survivors were found. The findings indicate that children, youth, and adults can be involved in all stages of the research process, but the level of participation remains low. Eighteen different participatory methods were identified, and the ethical procedures and safeguarding of co-investigators varied significantly. Several barriers and challenges were identified, including issues related to adult gatekeeping behaviors, parental consent, confidentiality, and practical difficulties. Conclusions: The involvement of children, youth, and adults as co-researchers in CM research across Europe remains limited, with considerable variation in methods and procedures. These findings inform an ongoing e-Delphi study aimed at building consensus recommendations for participatory CM research.