Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify best practices in child-led monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in the development aid sector. Children’s views are gradually recognised as relevant in research, including the use of child-led research methods for M&E of programs and services in the development aid sector. There are three relevant components to assessing best practices of child-led M&E: the application of various methods, the ethical dimension, and the role of adults. Fourteen expert interviews and desk research were conducted to identify best practices. The findings reveal that while traditional methods require additional skills training and guidance by adults, participatory methods give children increased ownership of the process through various ways of expression. These, therefore, are suitable child-led research methods. Furthermore, the research reveals comprehensive methods to account for the ethical dimension of child-led M&E, such as the Nine Basic Requirements for Meaningful and Ethical Children’s Participation, topics such as informed consent, payment and compensation, and the children’s sense of ownership across the M&E cycle. The results validate various roles that adults play in child-led M&E. These roles include providing additional insights, fostering mutual support between children and adults through the expression of children’s perspectives, and contributing to informed decision-making by incorporating the voices of children in programming in the development aid sector.