MIGRANT CHILDREN PROJECT

Marie Curie Migrant Children Research Project
University College Cork 

Statement of Ethical Principles

This research programme is interdisciplinary in nature and involves four interrelated strands, each one corresponding to a specific immigrant group.

1) Participation

• All participation in the research is completely voluntary. Researchers will ensure that children, parents and guardians will not feel pressured to participate in the research.
• Any adult or child does not have to take part at all if s/he does not want to.
• S/he does not have to answer any questions that s/he does not want to.
• S/he can withdraw from the research, pause the research, or ask for a break at any point in the process.
• It will be made clear to research participants that they are able to withdraw from the research process at any time. This will happen at a number of times in the research project.

2) Confidentiality

• We promise to protect the identity of all participants. The names of children and parents/guardians participating in the research will not be used in any publications or presentations. The names of all children, parents and guardians used in all project publications and presentations will be changed. Any other identifying features will also be changed.  Professionals (such as teachers, health workers, NGO staff) working with children, parents or guardians will be offered a choice about using pseudonyms. Participants will be invited to choose their own pseudonym or ‘project name’.

To protect participants’ identities, researchers will:

• not reveal the identities of participants outside the research team.
• not reveal any information that may identify a participant.
• store all paper and computerised records of participants securely and safely
• tell participants in focus groups that all shared information is confidential

Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed if there is concern over child protection. This exception will be made clear to children and parents when informed consent is sought.
The team can provide evidence of criminal records checks for all four researchers.

 

3. Informed Consent

A clear explanation of the research will be given to all children, parents and guardians so that they can make an informed choice about participation.
The research team recognises that some participants, in particular younger children, may not fully comprehend the aims and/or methods of the research.
Researchers will make sure:

• that every child, parent or guardian has time to think about their participation between the initial contact and agreeing to take part
• that the consent discussion covers every data gathering method that will be used
• that written or verbal consent will be sought from each participant at the start of their involvement in the research
• that a consent form is signed by each participant’s parent/guardian if they are aged below 16 years of age at the start of their involvement in the research.

Parents/guardians will be asked for their written permission for the researcher to seek the consent of children to participate in the research.
Researchers will not carry out research in cases where parental consent has been gained but the child indicates and/or states that they do not wish to participate. Neither will they carry out research in cases where the parental consent has not been gained but the child indicates that they do wish to take part.

 

4. Research Location

Participants will be asked whether they feel comfortable in the research location and if possible action should be taken if they do not.
Participants’ permission to record will be sought and all recording equipment will be visible and accessible at all times.

 

5. Publication of Research Findings

Participants will be told at the start of their involvement in the research that the research findings will be published. Principles outlined under (3) above regarding anonymity and confidentiality apply to all published research findings.
Research findings will be presented to research participants in appropriate formats. Where possible, drafts of research findings will be circulated to participants for their comments.
Research findings will be published by the research team in books and various journal articles. If media (newspapers, radio and TV) sources are contacted, researchers will not give names or any contact details of research participants.
The research team will not pass on any data or material from the project to any third party.