Research Governance for External Research Studies Involving Children’s Social Care
Case reference FOI2026/00775
Received 26 March 2026
Published 24 April 2026
Request
I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I would be grateful if you could provide the following information relating to research governance for external research studies involving Children's Social Care.
________________________________
1. Research Governance Procedure
Please provide:
1a. A copy of any policies, procedures, guidance documents, or process maps that outline your research governance procedure for external research studies involving Children's Social Care.
1b. Within these documents, or separately if necessary, please confirm who reviews and approves applications for external research studies involving children's social care (e.g., job titles, teams, panels).
________________________________
2. Number of Children's Social Care Research Applications Involving Child Participants (last 5 years)
For the period 1 January 2020 - 31 December 2024 (or the most recent five-year period for which you hold data), please provide:
2a. The number of research governance applications received for external research studies where children were intended research participants within Children's Social Care.
2b. Of these, the **number of applications that involved children 11 years and younger.
If you do not hold age data in this form, please state this.
________________________________
3. Outcomes of Applications (last 5 years)
For the same period, please provide:
3a. The number of applications approved for external research studies involving child participants within Children's Social Care.
3b. Of these approved applications, the **number that involved children 11 years and younger.
If data is not held in this form, please state this.
________________________________
4. Approval Timeframes (if held)
4a. Please provide any recorded information you hold on the time taken to process research governance applications relating to Children's Social Care during the same five-year period, including (where available):
* the date the application was received, and
* the date the application was approved or declined.
If this information is not held or not held in a retrievable format, please state this.
Response
I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
I would be grateful if you could provide the following information relating to research governance for external research studies involving Children's Social Care.
________________________________
1. Research Governance Procedure
Please provide:
1a. A copy of any policies, procedures, guidance documents, or process maps that outline your research governance procedure for external research studies involving Children's Social Care.
Answer: The Service Area have advised there is currently no specific policy on this however where there are requests these are first triaged by the Service Directors to ensure they are appropriate, valid and will support wider learning within the organisation and to ensure they do not place additional strains on the service and meet the information governance rules regarding confidentiality. Following this they are presented to senior leadership team for wider oversight, practicalities and agreement.
1b. Within these documents, or separately if necessary, please confirm who reviews and approves applications for external research studies involving children's social care (e.g., job titles, teams, panels).
Answer: Please see the response provided above. The Service Area have also advised if requests come from a wider organisation then, dependent on who would be involved, this may require agreement from a number of departments.
________________________________
2. Number of Children's Social Care Research Applications Involving Child Participants (last 5 years)
For the period 1 January 2020 - 31 December 2024 (or the most recent five-year period for which you hold data), please provide:
2a. The number of research governance applications received for external research studies where children were intended research participants within Children's Social Care.
Answer: This information is not held. The Service Area have advised we would not agree for children within our service to take part in research programmes.
2b. Of these, the **number of applications that involved children 11 years and younger.
If you do not hold age data in this form, please state this.
Answer: N/A
________________________________
3. Outcomes of Applications (last 5 years)
For the same period, please provide:
3a. The number of applications approved for external research studies involving child participants within Children's Social Care.
Answer: N/A
3b. Of these approved applications, the **number that involved children 11 years and younger.
If data is not held in this form, please state this.
Answer: N/A
________________________________
4. Approval Timeframes (if held)
4a. Please provide any recorded information you hold on the time taken to process research governance applications relating to Children's Social Care during the same five-year period, including (where available):
* the date the application was received, and
* the date the application was approved or declined.
If this information is not held or not held in a retrievable format, please state this.
Answer: This information is not held. The Service Area have advised there are no set timescales; this is dependent on the individual application, information held within it and expected outcomes.
Documents
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