What is involved in participating in the Study?
You will be invited to take part in a one-to-one research interview with the researcher, to be arranged at a time that is convenient for you between October 2021-Spring 2022. This will take place over the online video conferencing platform Zoom. The interview will be semi-structured, which means that there will be some set topics of discussion but there will also be space for some general discussion. In the interview, you will be asked about your experience of working in child and adolescent inpatient units or making decisions around admission, treatment and discharge. You will not be asked to discuss specific cases but rather the discussion will be focused on your work in general and your day-to-day experience of decision-making within the legal framework.
The interview itself will usually last for around an hour, with some time set aside at the beginning of the interview for you to raise any outstanding questions and to check that the technology is working. You will be asked to sign a consent form in advance of the interview and to return this over email, but you will also be given an opportunity to orally confirm your consent before the interview. There will be some time at the end of the interview for you to ask any follow up questions. Overall, the whole process will most likely take around 90 minutes.
Do I have to take part?
Taking part in this research is entirely voluntary: it is up to you whether or not to take part. If you decide to take part, you will be asked to sign a consent form in advance of the interview and to keep this information sheet. You can still withdraw from the study at any time, even during the interview and up to 28 days after the interview. You do not have to give a reason for your withdrawal.
Are there possible disadvantages and/or risks in taking part?
You may find some of the topics upsetting in that you may have to discuss potentially stressful experiences or events. If you find the experience distressing, you will be able to let the researcher know to stop the interview and take a break, or stop taking any further part in the study altogether.
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
Although there may be no direct benefits to you for taking part, you may find it interesting to discuss your views on your work and the law/policy in this area.
What if something goes wrong?
If something has gone wrong or you wish to make a complaint, please contact the University of Bristol Research Governance Team at research-governance@bristol.ac.uk.
Will my taking part in this project be kept confidential?
All your personal data will be kept confidential and will not be disclosed to anyone outside of the study. The only exception to this is if a court orders it to be released or, if you choose to disclose information about child safety, criminal activity, or causing serious harm to yourself or others, this may be shared with appropriate authorities.
Neither your name or any other identifiable details will be reported in any research papers or other outputs from the study. The information you give during your interview will also be anonymised, so it cannot be traced back to you personally. The eventual PhD thesis and research papers from the study may include some quotations from interview transcripts, but these will be anonymous, and any identifying features will be removed.
How will my data be stored?
Identifiable personal data and anonymised study data will be stored securely in separate password protected digital files in accordance with the University of Bristol’s research governance policy. Anonymised research data will be archived upon completion of the study and thus be accessible to other researchers upon request.
What will happen to the results of the research project?
The results of the research project will form part of the researcher’s PhD thesis, which will be deposited and openly accessible both in print and online in the University of Bristol upon successful completion. They may also be published in academic journals or presented at conferences. If you wish, you can be notified of any publications arising from the research.
Participant Information Sheet
You can find the above information and all other key info on the Participant Information Sheet. Please read this carefully. You will be asked to read this again before completing the consent form.
If you have any further questions about the study, please contact the researcher.
I am interested in taking part, what do I do?
Please complete the Expression of Interest form.
Please share this information within your professional networks or with any contacts who may be interested in taking part. However, please refrain from sharing this information via NHS mailing lists or noticeboards.