Ethics and Governance in Social Work Research in the UK

M. Holloway,L. Dominelli

doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcm123

Abstract

The application of formal research ethics and governance structures in social work research have lagged behind those applicable in health, although in the UK, social care has been deemed to be covered by those that were used in the NHS. Whilst this link is useful, it does not facilitate researcher involvement in the small-scale qualitative studies that feature in social work more than in health. Our exploration of the subject reveals that the dominance of the natural sciences paradigm in the social science is evident nationally, regionally and internationally. So, in this sense, the UK follows the usual paths that favour quantitative studies. In this article we explore the trajectory of governance structures in social work research in the UK to argue that social work needs its own ethics and governance structures, but that some agreement should be sought with other professions, particularly in those projects that cross professional and discipline boundaries so that social work research does not have to undergo dual processes for ethical approval. This implies a broader recognition of social work research ethics and governance structures than currently exist.

Highlights

Social work research in the UK is being conducted in contexts of increasing public scrutiny and accountability and greater regulation through research governance structures
This paper considers ethical scrutiny and governance in UK social work research—the ethical basis of research, the policy contexts that impact upon social work research, and issues and processes of accountability between all stakeholders
A growing volume of UK research undertaken in social work, spread across a wide constituency of researchers, many of whom are working in relatively isolated situations on small-scale projects, makes a robust and workable system of ethical scrutiny and governance a priority

Summary

Introduction

Social work research in the UK is being conducted in contexts of increasing public scrutiny and accountability and greater regulation through research governance structures. Social work researchers face key challenges in establishing the discipline at the forefront of research developments Their relatively recent entry into national debates about ethics and governance is partially accounted for by a lack of recognized national governance structures, an emphasis on small-scale local research projects often undertaken by students and practitionerresearchers with limited research expertise, low overall research capacity (Orme and Powell, this issue) and a poor funding base (Marsh and Fisher, this issue). These weaknesses continue to be addressed, initially by the Theorising Social Work Research (TSWR) Group and through the Social Work Research Strategy for Higher Education of the Joint Universities Council–Social Work Education Committee (JUC–SWEC). We conclude by calling for action to create nationally recognized structures for social work research ethics and governance, to raise the voice of social work researchers in national research debates, and to involve service users more fully as stakeholders in the entire research process

The developing contexts of research governance in the UK

The ethics and politics of social work research

Values and ethics

Accountability and stakeholders

Power and control

Conclusions