We are committed to ethical research practice and high-quality data protection. We use tried and tested approaches to ensure the evaluation design is robust and rigorous as well as useful for our clients and other stakeholders. This includes:
Adherence to legal and ethical guidelines, and ethics and research governance processes (e.g. for research participation, informed consent, confidentiality and anonymity, participant well-being and safeguarding, recording and storage of data). We have specific guidance and staff training for working with young people and the specific issues around data collection with them. We have double consent processes in place (YP and parent/carer), and accessible information sheets and we always work with those who support the young people to make sure they are truly consenting to project participation so that we can make it as simple as possible for them to take part and that they are given the chance to properly express their views.
Quality assurance mechanisms for data design and collection processes (topic guides, surveys, elicitation techniques) – e.g. peer review, client sign-off and piloting systems for data analysis – e.g. check and review process for data coding and analysis, sense-checking emerging findings with stakeholders and clients, respondent sign-off of case studies, collaborative team analysis of findings.
Insurance and indemnity – we are insured for public liability and professional indemnity. Details can be provided on request.
Data protection and compliance:
ASK Research Partners adheres to:
- the Social Research Association’s Ethical Guidelines
- GSR Professional guidance for social research in Government
- the Framework for Qualitative research conduct.
All staff used by ASK Research Partners have enhanced DBS and are trained on data security and ethical research conduct. We place great importance on data protection and information governance. We are cognisant of our responsibility to process all personal data collected by, or provided to us, fairly and lawfully. We acknowledge that our business involves processing data (recording, collecting, storing, analysing, and deleting it), controlling data (deciding how and why to use the data), and as a processor of data (by processing data on behalf of a data controller).
We have clear policies and guidelines for staff, associates and sub-contractors on data protection and the use and storage of personal data. As the Data Processor, we will comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and the Market Research Society’s Guidelines for the handling of databases and confidential survey data. All staff sign up to our data protection and security policies. We have robust technical and organisational measures to protect against unauthorised access to, or disclosure of, personal and sensitive data that we hold.
Our company privacy policy can be viewed here http://www.askresearch.org.uk/privacy, with a specific policy developed for each project we are commissioned to work on. Our ICO registration reference is: ZB587531.