Avoiding harm and risk

Adults

Research involves varying degrees of potential psychological, emotional or physical risks to participants, and there are also risks for researchers, who might be found to be negligent during any phase of the research process.

If researching a potentially sensitive topic, researchers should recognise the limits of their own expertise, and make appropriate plans to access professional advice or support.

You should ask yourself:

1. Have you completed a risk assessment for the project, including risks for adult participants and researchers?

2. What steps have been taken to minimize risk and harm to participants of all ages, and to the research team?

3. Have participants been involved in anticipating what the short and long-term risks might be?

4. Are there any particular risks associated with the research methods and data collection processes you plan to follow?

5. What specific measures have been taken to maximize benefit for participants and wider society as a result of this research?

6. Have participants been involved in anticipating what the benefits might be?

7. Does the research involve travel and are there any associated risks for researchers or participants?

Children

Researchers have a duty to safeguard the welfare of the children they work with, and to avoid harm arising from children’s involvement in research.

This includes reflecting on potential harm, risk and benefit at the outset of a project, and adopting an ethically reflective attitude throughout all phases of the research process, so the possible effects on the child, and the child’s family, are constantly considered.

You should ask yourself:

1. Have you completed a risk assessment for the project, including risks for child participants? For example, are there any potential psychological, emotional or physical risks to children, and/or any risks that researchers might be found to be negligent during any phase of the research?

2. What steps have been taken to minimize risk and harm to child participants?

3. Have child participants been consulted about what they like or don’t like about the research?

4. Are there any particular short or long-term risks for children associated with the research methods and data collection processes you plan to follow?

5. Will you be alone with children, and if so, what legal and disciplinary requirements do you need for this? For example, in the UK and other EU countries, all adults, including researchers, working with children are legally required to have a formal check of their police records through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Homes

Understanding risk in research in home environments often involves thinking about potential short-term and long-term implications of the research. For example, particular research topics and reports may draw media and policy attention and put parents/carers (or their communities) in the spotlight.

In addition, participating families may be (mis)construed as ‘representative’ of particular social realities (eg of particular family formations, cultural backgrounds, or of children with specific developmental needs). This could inadvertently lead to public scrutiny by the media. (See also Research integrity and quality).

Educational and community settings

Risk in research involvement or participation in formal or informal education settings often involves assessing (and being accountable for) the degree to which

1. participation in a research project interferes with children’s and adults’ learning, usual daily routines and work

2. the research offers opportunities to enhance children’s educational experiences and learning

You should ask yourself:

1. What are the potential risks and harm for the research site?

2. Have you consulted with potential participants about their concerns?

3. Will all participants have equal opportunities to benefit from this research? For example, some settings may hesitate to divide pupils/classes into treatment and control groups if this means some students miss out in potentially interesting educational opportunities. This has implications for how research is designed and communicated.

4. If you are using visual methods in a busy environment, how will you exclude adults and children for whom you do not have permission to record?

Virtual or online

If children unwittingly reveal highly personal details about their private lives during online research interaction, then a guiding principle is that children’s right to privacy is more important than any research agenda.

It may be appropriate for researchers to gently draw any indiscretions to children’s attention, or if there is a risk that a child might have disclosed information that could put them in danger, to inform a responsible adult or report to a relevant authority.

You should ask yourself:

1. Have plans been agreed about suitable courses of action should participants or researchers be put in harm as a result of the research?