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<p>This report highlighted the importance of governance and ethical consideration
in children’s services research. The report suggested that at the time of the research,
local practice was variable, but there were, and still are, a number of accepted research
governance arrangements in place for local authorities and other research organisations
to seek guidance and approval, including the Association of Directors of Children’s
Services (ADCS), the Social Research Association, the NSPCC, and university ethics
boards. The Department for Education has concluded that these arrangements are the
best route for local authorities and external research organisations to obtain external
guidance on research governance and ethics.</p><p>Following publication of the report,
the Department, in consultation with the ADCS Research Group, has developed ethics
guidance and an ethics checklist for its own funded research and evaluation. This
is based on the Government Social Research Professional Guidance, which sets out the
principles that should be used when conducting social research for the Government.
It states that those conducting, commissioning or managing Government social research
have a responsibility to ensure that research is conducted using appropriate methods
and that the rights and interests of all those involved in the research process are
protected. Research should be conducted in a manner that:</p><ul><li><p>ensures valid,
informed consent is obtained before individuals participate in research (for children
under 16, parents/legal guardians as well as the children themselves must be approached
for consent to participate);</p></li></ul><ul><li><p>takes reasonable steps to identify
and remove barriers to participation;</p></li><li><p>avoids personal and social harm;
and</p></li><li><p>protects the confidentiality of information about research participants
and their identities.</p></li></ul>
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