Children, Schools and Families Directorate Research
Governance Framework (RGF)
The Research Governance Framework (RGF) sets out standards that
all research using Children, Schools and Families Directorate
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 the Children, Schools and Families Directorate 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 it?
The Children, Schools and Families 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 and
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 the Tower Hamlets Children's
Schools and Families Directorate 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, Schools and Families
Directorate 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 Children, Schools and Families
Directorate 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:
Guidance from central government is contained in:
The Department of Health's "Research Governance Framework for
Health and Social Care" which can be found by clicking
here.
Further information or assistance, please contact:
- Research and Performance Development Manager - 020 7364
0429
- Quality & Performance Development Officer - 020 7364
5181
- Research & Performance Development Officer - 020 7364
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