Children's services research governance framework (RGF)

The Research Governance Framework (RGF) sets out standards that all research using Children Services information should meet. It aims to ensure that the interests of our service users and pupils are always put first and that the research makes a real contribution to increasing knowledge and improving practice. The governance process provides a defined quality assurance mechanism for ensuring that all research taking place in Children’s Services meets legal, ethical and quality requirements.

Research governance can be defined as the broad range of regulations, principles and standards of good practice that exist to achieve and continuously improve research quality across all aspects of health and social care. Proper governance of research is essential to ensure there can be confidence and derived benefits from quality research, and that high scientific, ethical and financial standards, transparent decision-making processes, clear allocation of responsibilities and robust monitoring arrangements are in place.

It is a core standard for health and social care organisations to have systems to ensure the principles and requirements of the Research Governance Framework are consistently applied. Health and social care organisations have to take this standard into account in discharging their duty of quality under Section 45 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003.

• Why do we need the Research Governance Framework?
• How does it work?
• Case study
• What do you need to do?
• Contact information

Why do we need it?

The Children’s Services Directorate receives great interest from prospective researchers, including research by students as part of their academic studies, government-funded research projects and research proposed by voluntary and charitable organisations. Between November 2006 and September 2008 the Research and Development Team received approximately 30 research applications. These included a research project to examine potential impact of aircraft noise upon pupil attainment levels in schools located near to airports and a student project to investigate self harm as a stress coping mechanism for school pupils.

The Research Governance Framework (Word 700k) provides a quality assurance mechanism for managing research, and defines clear standards and procedures of good practice to enable the council to make sound and robust decisions concerning the research conducted in Tower Hamlets.

The Framework outlines guidance for ensuring research meets legal, ethical and scientific standards but also to maximise learning and reduce risks for researchers, participants and any potential arising risks which may affect the council.

How does it work?

When staff and managers are contacted by prospective researchers, they should ensure that the researcher completes and submits the RGF Research proposal form (contained within the RGF introduction pack for applicants (Word 500k)) along with supporting documentation to the Performance, Research & Statistics Service by emailing to crs@towerhamlets.gov.uk.

Upon receipt of an application a risk assessment is conducted and the associated papers are distributed to a panel of core members.

The risk assessment and other papers are reviewed by a core research governance panel, in the case of a low risk research application a virtual meeting is convened and the application is discussed, concerns are raised and addressed and a decision taken to approve, modify or reject the research proposal.

If the research is considered to be of medium or high risk by core panel members, staff considered as having specialist knowledge in a particular field will be asked to attend a formal widened panel meeting. Again the panel will discuss the proposal and identify and address any areas of concern. The panel will reach a decision to approve, modify or reject a research proposal.

Case study

An application was received by Tower Hamlets Children's Services from a student at Queen Mary College, University of London, to conduct a research project to explore adolescent stress and coping strategies.

The student intended to use questionnaires and interviews to specifically explore the extent and nature of self harm as a coping mechanism.

A number of concerns were identified by the core panel relating to issues of consent, information sharing and confidentiality, ethics, risk management and responsibility of the council in terms of if and how to respond to emerging findings, both practically and strategically.

A widened panel meeting was convened and included the relevant service head and senior educational psychologist. The student and research professor also attended the meeting to enable a full and detailed discussion of the proposal.

This process secured a number of positive benefits including:

• Ensuring that students were able to make informed decisions about participation in the research by explicitly stating the focus of self harm in consent forms and participant information sheets
• Better ensuring parents were aware of the nature of the research by explicitly stating the focus of self harm in information leaflets provided to them
• Stipulating a range of conditions to ensure that adequate and appropriate support could be provided by schools
• Stipulating conditions relating to sharing information with Tower Hamlets Children’s Services
• Developing and defining procedures to ensure the delivery of adequate support to students, teachers and parents.

What do you need to do?

Download the Children’s Services Research Governance Framework (RGF) (Word 700k) , which fully explains the background to the framework, what is required from researchers and how the process works.

Read the RGF introduction pack for applicants (Word 500k) and complete a research proposal form and appendix 5 on page 34 – Research Risk Assessment. The completed form and attachments should be sent either to the email address below or by post.

Documents supporting the framework:

• RGF introduction pack for applicants (Word 500k)
• RGF information sharing agreement (Word 51k)
• Tower Hamlets Children's Services RGF Framework (Word 700k)

Guidance from central government is contained in:
The Department of Health's "Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care"

Further information or assistance, please contact:

• Research and Performance Development Manager - 0207 364 0429
• Quality & Performance Development Officer - 0207 364 5181
• Research & Performance Development Officer - 0207 364 2095

Address

Strategy, Partnerships and Performance
Research & Development Team Manager
Tower Hamlets Children's Services
2nd Floor
Town Hall, Mulberry Place
5 Clove Crescent
London E14 2BG

email:crs@towerhamlets.gov.uk