Appendix 1: Participant information sheet and consent form
Participant Information Sheet
Name of department: Humanities & Social Sciences
Title of the study: Exploring informed choice for disabled young people in transition.
Introduction
My name is Fraser Mitchell and I am a post-graduate student at the University of Strathclyde studying for an MSc in Applied Social Research.
What is the purpose of this investigation?
I am interested in how disabled young people are informed about choices for services that support their social care needs at a time in their lives as they progress from school to adulthood.
Self-Directed Support (SDS) is seen as a way to increase choice and control for those requiring support to help them live independently. The Scottish Government has recently passed the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 to enable local authorities to make provision about the way social care services are provided. One of the principles of the Act is ‘informed choice’ when choosing an option for self-directed support. The aim of the research is to find out more about informed choice for disabled young people.
Do you have to take part?
Participation is voluntary and consent can be withdrawn at any time without providing a reason.
What will you do in the project?
I will be carrying out interviews in the Inverness area on the 25th and 26thh June 2013 and will contact you, with your agreement, to agree a date/time/location for interview that is suitable to you. I will want to audio-record the interview (with your permission) using a digital recorder, and download the recording to a PC and later write down on a ‘word’ document what is said at the interview.
Why have you been invited to take part?
I am interested in interviewing a range of people who have first-hand experience of informed choice for disabled young adults in transition. Natalie Thomson, Social Worker, Self-directed Support Team, Highland Health and Social Care Partnership has suggested that you may wish to be included in the study.
What are the potential risks to you in taking part?
No specific risks have been identified for participants in these interviews.
What happens to the information in the project?
Interview transcriptions will be anonymised (names will be changes) and kept in a secure, locked place, and/or on a password protected PC. I will not use participant’s names in the dissertation, or name the region where you live/study, but I would like to use some quotes of what you say. I will ensure that individuals cannot be identified in a any subsequent academic paper or research publication.
The University of Strathclyde is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office who implements the Data Protection Act 1998. All personal data on participants will be processed in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Thank you for reading this information – please ask any questions if you are unsure about what is written here.
What happens next?
With your agreement I will arrange to meet at a time and location suitable to you. We will go through this information leaflet and you will be given the opportunity to ask any questions about the research and about your own participation. You can choose not to participate without giving a reason at any time.
If you would then like to take part in the study you should provide your written consent by signing the attached consent form. Please return this sheet to myself either by e-mail attachment or by post (contact details below).
Researcher Contact Details:
E-mail: Fraser.Mitchell.100@strath.ac.uk
Address: Fraser Mitchell, Flass Cottage, Crosshill Terrace, WORMIT, Fife, DD6 8PT
Tel.: 07515289627
Chief Investigator Details:
Dr. Alastair Wilson, Senior Research Fellow, University of Strathclyde
e-mail: al.wilson@strath.ac.uk
tel.: 0141 444 8108
This investigation was granted ethical approval by the University of Strathclyde ethics committee.
If you have any questions/concerns, during or after the investigation, or wish to contact an independent person to whom any questions may be directed or further information may be sought from, please contact:
Secretary to the University Ethics Committee
Research & Knowledge Exchange Services
University of Strathclyde
Graham Hills Building
50 George Street
Glasgow
G1 1QE
Telephone: 0141 548 3707
Email: ethics@strath.ac.uk
Consent Form
Name of department: Humanities & Social Sciences
Title of the study: Exploring informed choice for disabled young people in transition.
- I confirm that I have read and understood the information sheet for the above project and the researcher has answered any queries to my satisfaction.
- I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw from the project at any time, without having to give a reason and without any consequences.
- I understand that I can withdraw my data from the study at any time.
- I understand that any information recorded in the investigation will remain confidential and no information that identifies me will be made publicly available.
- I consent to being a participant in the project.
- I consent to being audio recorded as part of the project: Yes/ No
| (PRINT NAME) | Hereby agree to take part in the above project
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| Signature of Participant: | Date |
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