Area Potential Risk Low High Well qualified with experience and Reasonably well qualified with Has little or no experience or Competence of personnel knowledge of all three of the experience and knowledge of knowledge of either the topic following factors topic of two of the following three being researched, the – investigation, the participants/data factors - topic of investigation, participants or the methods and the methods to be used. e.g. the participants/data and the being used. formal research training, methods to be used. qualifications, experience and knowledge gained from involvement in similar projects or working the environment. The participant is capable of Informed consent and the Informed consent and ability to Characteristics of making decision on consenting to ability to withdraw from the withdraw from the study not participants partake in the research and has study is possible with support possible or unlikely due to age the ability to withdraw from the to overcome communication of the child or incapacity of the study fully. barriers e.g. advocates, adult. There are translators/interpreters, communications issues arising signers or technology. from language or literacy issues, sensory or speech impairment. The topic and information being The or information being Information is likely to be sought does not focus on personal sought includes items likely to regarded as highly personal Nature of information sought information at all e.g. anonymous be considered slightly personal or sensitive by whom it is survey seeking opinions about a or sensitive by some e.g. age, collected or about whom it is received service. ethnicity, income. being obtained. e.g. medical conditions, psychiatric history, criminal records etc.
Area Potential Risk Low High Competence of personnel Well qualified with experience and knowledge of all three of the following factors – topic of investigation, the participants/data and the methods to be used. e.g. formal research training, qualifications, experience and knowledge gained from involvement in similar projects or working the environment. Reasonably well qualified with experience and knowledge of two of the following three factors - topic of investigation, the participants/data and the methods to be used. Has little or no experience or knowledge of either the topic being researched, the participants or the methods being used. Characteristics of participants The participant is capable of making decision on consenting to partake in the research and has the ability to withdraw from the study fully. Informed consent and the ability to withdraw from the study is possible with support to overcome communication barriers e.g. advocates, translators/interpreters, signers or technology. Informed consent and ability to withdraw from the study not possible or unlikely due to age of the child or incapacity of the adult. There are communications issues arising from language or literacy issues, sensory or speech impairment. Nature of information sought The topic and information being sought does not focus on personal information at all e.g. anonymous survey seeking opinions about a received service. The or information being sought includes items likely to be considered slightly personal or sensitive by some e.g. age, ethnicity, income. Information is likely to be regarded as highly personal or sensitive by whom it is collected or about whom it is being obtained. e.g. medical conditions, psychiatric history, criminal records etc.