Priscilla Alderson is professor emerita of childhood studies at the Department of Social Science, UCL Institute of Education (IOE). After teaching in London schools, she began researching children’s competence, wisdom and rights in 1977, and has worked at IOE since 1991.

Her recent books include: with V. Morrow, The Ethics of Research with Children and Young People: A Practical Handbook (SAGE; fourth edition due in 2020); with C. Goodey, Enabling Education: Experiences in Special and Ordinary Schools (Tufnell Press, 2018/1998); Learning and Inclusion: The Cleves School Experience (Routledge, 2013/1999); and Young Children’s Rights: Exploring Beliefs, Principles and Practice (Jessica Kingsley/Save the Children, 2008/2000).

Her current research with Professor Katy Sutcliffe and Dr Rosa Mendizabal is on parents’ and children’s consent to heart surgery in two London hospitals, asking how much children aged between six and 15 want to be informed and involved in decisions about their surgery. She convenes fortnightly doctoral open seminars on critical realism in the autumn and spring terms.