This study focuses on the experiences of children, between eight and twelve years old, who have used the services of a community based social work agency. The children offered direct reports of their own experience of the service. Their views offer profound and subtle insights into the experience of being a child client. The study focused on issues of consultation and participation, the qualities of the relationship between the children and their worker, the children''s views of changes in their lives and what helped to achieve these, and the children''s advice to others arising from their experiences. The children expressed their views clearly and with considerable depth. They spoke positively of their relationships with their family workers and clearly valued these. This highlights the need for the relationship between the child and the family worker to be respected and for children''s views to be considered in planning social work. The findings of this study suggest that not only can in-house research be valuable in informing practice, but also that participants'' prior knowledge of the researcher may promote a higher level of participation.

Michael O''Dempsey conducted this study while working in Auckland New Zealand. These days he is a counsellor in Christchurch. He has a special interest in working with families and child advocacy.