RESEARCH IN SOCIAL CARE: GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCHERS

6   OBTAIN ETHICAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITY APPROVAL

All those involved in research must be aware of their legal and ethical duties. 

Codes of ethics

Codes of Ethics for social researchers have been produced by the:

• British Sociological Association
• British Psychological Society
• Social Research Association

An article in the British Journal of Social Work discusses a code of ethics for social care research

Research Governance Framework

Under the Research Governance Framework (RGF) it is the responsibility of the researcher/chief investigator to get ethical approval for the study.  This may be obtained from a Higher Education Institution (HEI), from an NHS Research Ethics Committee (REC), or from a social care REC at local or regional level; plans are currently being discussed for a central Social Care REC. 

Obtaining ethical and other approvals for your study depends on where your study will take place and which service users or staff will be involved.  Those working in Higher Education Institutions may be able to get ethical approval from the university’s ethical committee.  The Research Ethics Framework applies to all HEIs which receive grants from the ESRC. 

Research on social care for adults

Before the research can take place approval will have to be granted by:

• the relevant department(s) within the local authority
• the relevant ethical committee.  Guidance about systems for ethics approval in social care is available in the RGF Resource Pack
• the ADASS, if the research involves more than one local authority

Research on children and families

Before the research can take place approval will have to be granted by:

• the relevant department(s) within the local authority
• an appropriate ethical committee.  For those working in an HEI this is likely to be the university’s in-house system.  Researchers based within a local authority may be able to use a REC at local or regional level

Research involving health services

Ethics review in the NHS is managed by the National Research Ethics Service, which is located within the National Patient Safety Agency. 

The National Research Ethics Service (NRES):

• Coordinates the development of operational systems for local and multi-centre Research Ethics Committees (RECs) on behalf of the NHS
• Maintains an overview of the operation of RECs
• Develops and manages a national training programme for REC members and administrators
• Develops, implements and maintains operating procedures and standards for RECs which will be consistent across the UK

The NRES provides guidance for researchers on:

• The definition of research in this context
• Which studies need ethical approval?
• Guidance for applicants

Note that in the NHS clinical audit and service evaluation do not have to go for ethical approval, but that the same distinction may not apply in social care.