Increasingly, academics and researchers working on poverty issues recognise that poor people's own experiences and opinions should be heard. However, it is not just a question of encouraging participation. More attention needs to be paid to the ethics of research reciprocity –ensuring that participating communities are part of the research process and help shape the findings and recommendations that flow from it.

Two major forms of child participation have been developed in Vietnam –Children's Forums and Young Journalists Clubs. The Young Journalists Club is a nationwide programme jointly implemented by the Voice of Vietnam radio station and the national youth organisation, Vietnam Youth Union, which aims to strengthen implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The International Save the Children Alliance in Vietnam organised a series of national children's fora which Young Lives has adapted at the province level to allow for greater local participation.

This paper sets out the broader theoretical framework of research ethics while examining innovative methods for giving children a voice in poverty issues in Vietnam. The experience of Young Lives and other agencies demonstrates the importance of securing stakeholder involvement and working to influence grassroots- level policy- and opinion-makers.

Keywords: Vietnam, child rights, ethics, research, policy-influence, reciprocity