Garda Vetting for SPD Student Researchers

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The College Research Ethics Committee (REC) facilitates the conduct of ethically sound, legally compliant research at SPD, in accordance with national and EU legislation. Its terms of reference state that: 'The REC is relevant to all SPD researchers, research collaborators, postgraduate students and students undertaking research projects. It is a condition of employment and study that research into human subjects must be conducted in accordance with the law, and with acceptable ethical standards.'

Increasingly, schools and other research venues are requesting that researchers undergo a Garda vetting procedure, similar to that required of all new teachers. The College already has a procedure in place to ensure that this process is carried out in relation to incoming BEd and DipEd students.

The REC has now agreed a policy that researchers whose studies involve work with human participants, including children or vulnerable groups or individuals, should be required to undergo the Garda vetting procedure.

At present, the REC has prioritized the process of ensuring that student researchers are vetted in accordance with the College Garda Vetting Policy.

Since the process can be slow, and since students may not begin their field work with vulnerable groups until the process is complete, all research students, that is, PhD, EdD and Master's by Research students, registering from now onwards will receive notification with their registration information, explaining that it is their responsibility to undergo garda vetting if their research puts them in touch with children and/or vulnerable groups, and that that they may not begin their field work until approval is obtained from the College.

The MEd and MA programme boards will establish their own protocols to address this issue, working with the REC.

Once the process of vetting students is underway, the next phase for the REC will be to advise members of academic staff that if they wish to undertake research that includes meeting in person with vulnerable groups (including children) or directly communicating with them, the College will require them to undergo the Garda vetting procedure as part of the research ethics compliance process.

 

 

 

 

Last Updated: Friday September 16 2011