ABSTRACT
Any observation of children involves a certain degree of intrusion into their privacy and sometimes into the family's life or the practice of professionals around the child. The most fundamental ethical issue is whether to conduct a study when weighing the potential benefits of gathering knowledge against the possible drawbacks and discomfort the study might entail. Parents need to know that they can withdraw the child from the study at any time without the need for justification. Children must be given information they can understand and realize what they will be involved in, but children under 16 years of age should not give consent. Children should know that their parents have given consent, so they can be sure that it is neither dangerous nor harmful for them to participate. Most countries have ethical research guidelines and ethical committees to assess whether a research project meets the necessary ethical criteria before the project can be launched.
