IRB, Consent & Child Assent for Digital Surveys: A Practical Playbook
Written by Puppet Interview TeamUpdated
Research with young children (especially ages 4–8) requires extra care to meet ethical standards. This practical playbook walks you through how to obtain parental consent and child assent for digital surveys on an iPad (like a puppet interview app), in plain English.
We cover what IRBs expect, how to design child-friendly assent procedures, and tips for data privacy. By the end, you'll have a clear checklist for securing IRB approval while keeping kids comfortable and safe.
What IRBs Expect for Research with Children
If your study involves children, an Institutional Review Board (IRB) will review it with special scrutiny. Children cannot legally give informed consent on their own, so you must obtain a parent or guardian's permission and, whenever appropriate, seek the child's assent (agreement) to participate.
Important: Assent means the child actively agrees to take part; silence or lack of objection isn't enough. Even when a parent says "yes," the child still has the right to say "no," and that decision should be respected.
IRBs judge a child's ability to assent based on age, maturity, and context. For very young kids (toddlers or preschoolers), a brief verbal explanation or scripted prompt is often sufficient, with documentation that you sought their agreement. For school-age children (~7–12), prepare a simplified assent form or script that explains what will happen and asks if they want to take part. Keep it short and concrete.
Parental Consent vs. Child Assent (Plain-English)
Parental Consent
A formal permission process, on paper or electronically, completed by a parent or legal guardian before participation. It explains the study's purpose, procedures, time, risks (usually minimal for surveys), benefits, and data use.
Child Assent
The child's own agreement to participate, expressed in a developmentally appropriate way. For non-readers, assent can be verbal or via simple on-screen choices (e.g., tapping a "Yes, I want to play" button) after a clear explanation.
Think of it this way: The parent signs the permission slip (consent), then you ask the child, "Do you want to do this?" (assent). If either declines, the child does not participate.
Crafting an Age-Appropriate Assent Script
Use simple, concrete, reassuring language. Avoid jargon like "experiment" or "survey." Frame the activity as a friendly conversation or game with puppet helpers.
Example Script (Ages ~4–8)
"We have a game with two puppet friends who want to ask you about things you like and how you feel. If you want to play, the puppets will ask you some questions and you can tell us what you think. It's okay if you don't want to. You can say no. And if you start playing but want to stop, that's okay too. Do you want to try playing the question game with the puppets?"
Keep it Brief
30–60 seconds max. Use large text, friendly visuals, and audio narration for non-readers.
Avoid Pressure
Don't imply teachers/parents expect a "yes."
Make "No" Real
Show how to stop at any time.
Integrating Assent into an iPad Puppet Interview
Digital tools can build assent into the workflow. At app launch, show a puppet-led introduction and a simple consent/assent screen (e.g., "Do you want to answer questions with the puppets?" with big Yes/Not now buttons). Log the response with a timestamp and do not proceed without assent.
Implementation Steps
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1
Collect parental consent before sessions (paper or e-consent)
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2
Gate access in the app so only children with verified parental consent can proceed
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3
Have the facilitator restate choice verbally ("We can stop anytime, okay?")
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4
Let the child tap Yes, and that action becomes your audit trail
Data Privacy & Security
FERPA/COPPA-aware; HIPAA considerations as applicable
Minimize Identifiers
Use participant IDs; keep consent records separate from response data.
Secure Storage
Encrypted devices/servers; encrypted transfer; access-controlled research accounts.
School Settings
Coordinate with districts on FERPA; avoid storing education records in the research dataset when possible.
Under-13 Online Data
COPPA requires parental permission for collecting personal info; research consent typically covers this, so be transparent about what's collected.
Exports & Sharing
De-identify before analysis/sharing; state retention period and destruction plan.
Mandatory Reporting
Define when confidentiality may be broken for safety; describe the escalation path in consent materials.
The Practical Checklist
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Parent consent form: Clear purpose, tasks, time, risks/benefits, privacy, voluntary nature, contacts, and signature/e-consent.
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Child assent script: Friendly, short, with audio/visuals; emphasizes choice and the option to stop.
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Workflow: Parent permission first; child assent at session start; describe this in your protocol.
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In-app assent step: Required screen before any questions; log assent decision + timestamp.
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Documentation: Store signed consents; keep an assent log (app or researcher note).
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Privacy plan: IDs over names; encryption at rest/in transit; least-privilege access.
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References to validated methods: Note that puppet-mediated, dichotomous prompts are developmentally appropriate for early childhood self-report.
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Distress/safety plan: Stop immediately if the child is uncomfortable; define mandated-reporting triggers.
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Team training: All facilitators trained on the script, non-coercive approach, and data handling.
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Follow the approved protocol: File amendments for material changes; keep records organized.
Why Puppets + Either-Or Prompts Work
Animated Puppets
Lower social pressure and sustain attention through playful, non-threatening characters.
Dichotomous Prompts
Reduce cognitive load for early readers and help children map their feelings to concrete choices, improving reliability.
This approach aligns with established puppet-mediated interview methods and tablet-based implementations using paired statements.
Before you submit to your IRB
Four things have to be in the file: clear parent consent, a child assent procedure the child can actually follow, a privacy plan, and documentation of both.
Ready to Get Started?
Jump-start your submission with boilerplate text for protocols, parent permission, and child assent.
Download the IRB Language PackRelated Resources
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