Telephone interviews as a method for surveying young children's views—the case of the Finnish Child Barometer

This article critically examines the possibilities and challenges of using telephone interviews in large-scale research with young children. Drawing on a reflective methodological framework, the study analyses how the specific features of telephone interviews shape the conditions for children's participation, focusing on informed participation, trust-building, and the interview context. Empirically, the analysis is based on the Finnish Child Barometer, a nationwide telephone interview study which involves 6–7-year-old children, complemented by children's own accounts of their interview experiences. While most children described their participation positively, the findings reveal important ethical and methodological tensions related to consent, voluntariness, trust, and contextual control. The article argues that telephone interviews can support children's participatory rights when accompanied by critical reflectivity and context-sensitive practices.