Prior to writing this article, the two authors (Bogolub, US and Thomas, UK) conducted
separate qualitative research studies with foster children. After briefly describing
their individual studies, the two authors engage in a cross-cultural dialogue based
on their differing perspectives on the importance of birth parent consent for foster
children’s research participation. The authors’ differences
appear largely, although not exclusively, related to contrasts between a US academic
culture, which often stresses the fiduciary relationship between parents and
developing children, and a UK academic culture, which places more emphasis on
children’s competence and independence. Conclusions center on the
importance of cross-cultural dialogue as a way to promote considered decisions about
the overlapping methodological and ethical questions that inevitably arise when
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