Coram is dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of research integrity, ensuring that all research activities are conducted with rigour, transparency, and ethical responsibility. This Research Integrity Policy builds upon Coram’s existing Research Ethics Policy and should be followed by all parts of the group. It aligns with national frameworks, such as the Concordat to Support Research Integrity and the UK Research Integrity Office (UKRIO) Code of Practice for Research.
1. Scope
This policy applies to all parts of the Coram group and all individuals involved in research under the auspices of Coram, including employees, volunteers, associates, contractors, and external collaborators undertaking research with Coram.
2. Definition
Research integrity refers to all of the factors that underpin good research practice. Research integrity is the conduct of research in ways that promote trust and confidence in all aspects of the research process. It helps ensure that research is high-quality, ethical, and of benefit to society. It covers all disciplines of research, including evaluation and all sectors where research and evaluation are carried out. Research integrity underpins the whole lifecycle of research, from the initial proposal and design, through the conduct of the research, and its dissemination and impact.
3. Aim
It aims to ensure that the internal and external research undertaken by Coram (including in partnership with others) upholds the principles and procedures for research integrity.
4. Principles
Coram’s commitment to research integrity is founded on the following integrity principles as a set of individual and collective behaviours that define good research practice and draws on the Concordat to Support Research Integrity:
- Honesty: ensuring truthfulness and authenticity in all aspects of research, including the presentation of research goals, intentions, gathering data and evidence, reporting methods, procedures and findings, as well as acknowledging the work of others.
- Rigour: using appropriate and high-quality research methods in line with prevailing disciplinary norms and standards that are participatory and collaborative rather than extractive; adhering to an agreed protocol and standards, ensuring robust, accurate, informed, and reproducible results; and striving for exceptional standards in our research processes.
- Transparency: sharing methodologies, data, and findings as standard practice; declaring potential competing interests; being independent and ensuring our work is impartial; guaranteeing accessibility of research findings and recommendations including for those that took part in the research making them widely available, while respecting considerations of confidentiality and privacy; and championing the voice of the child and shaping policy and practice in order to create better life chances for children.
- Responsibility: taking responsibility for our research from conception to publication and beyond, ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards; working with all those accountable (funders, Coram staff, and partners) to collectively create a positive and inclusive research environment.
- Care and respect: valuing the dignity, rights, culture, and welfare of all research participants and stakeholders; championing equality, diversity, and inclusion; recognising inequalities in research and actively seek to address these; and ensuring that research is conducted with consideration for the broader society and for public good.
To guide these principles, Coram has developed a set of research principles:
- Child-centred – from research design to dissemination
- Rigorous – robust research methods for accuracy and reliability
- Grounded in experience – we draw upon, value, and promote expertise by experience
- Collaborative – projects are completed in partnership with those that commission the research and where appropriate those with relevant expertise
- Impactful – research that translates into policy and systems change
5. Responsibilities
- Researchers and those involved in research at Coram are expected to:
- Adhere to ethical, legal, and professional standards pertinent to their research and the policies and procedures of Coram including ethics, safeguarding, and data protection.
- Maintain accurate and detailed records of research activities, ensuring data integrity and reproducibility.
- Disseminate research findings responsibly, ensuring proper acknowledgment of contributions and avoiding misleading or exaggerated claims.
- Report any suspected misconduct or unethical practices promptly, following established policies and procedures.
- Develop their research skills and expertise through Continuous Professional Development in matters of research integrity and ethics.
- Supervisors and Principal Investigators should in addition to the above:
- Provide oversight, supervision, and mentorship to ensure adherence to this policy and foster a culture of integrity.
- Encourage open discussion of ethical and integrity issues, creating an inclusive and open environment where concerns can be raised and acted on.
- Ensuring training, support, and development opportunities are available for researchers including in matters of research integrity and ethics.
- Coram’s Senior Management Team and Central Management Group. Responsibilities include:
- Promoting a research culture that values and rewards research integrity.
- Seeking to work with funders and external partners that promote research integrity and conduct themselves with integrity in research.
- Ensuring that mechanisms, policies, and procedures are in place and continuously reflected on and refreshed including clear procedures for addressing allegations of misconduct, ensuring investigations are conducted fairly and confidentially.
- Championing training, support, and development opportunities for researchers including in matters of research integrity and ethics.
6. Research Ethics
Coram’s research integrity policy is guided and overseen by our Research and Ethics Committee (REC) who are independent volunteers not employed by Coram, and its secretariat. The REC is tasked with:
- Reviewing research proposals to ensure ethical standards are met, including considerations of participant and researcher harm as well as wider societal and environmental impact.
- Providing guidance on complex ethical issues, drawing upon national and international best practices.
- Monitoring ongoing research for compliance with approved ethical standards and facilitating continuous improvement.
- Supporting Coram to implement and ensure adherence to this research integrity policy, including its review and revision.
7. Governance and Accountability
Responsibility for Coram’s research integrity ultimately sits with Coram’s Children’s Services, Research, and Standards Committee. Coram’s Research and Ethics Committee, including its Secretariat (which includes the Director of Research at Coram) will ensure research integrity is upheld in all research conducted by and through Coram. Any issues concerning research integrity will first be raised to the Director of Research at Coram who will decide whether the issue needs to be raised to the Research and Ethics Committee, who will then decide whether the issue is raised to the Children’s Services, Research, and Standards Committee.
In all large research projects (typically those over £100k) we will ensure a steering or advisory group is established with experts deemed appropriate. Where appropriate we will also put in place a steering or advisory group for smaller projects. We will also endeavour to ensure that those with lived experience are represented on these groups, or if more appropriate, a separate lived experience group created to support genuine inclusion in the research.
8. Training and Development
Coram is dedicated to fostering a culture of integrity by:
- Providing regular training on research ethics and integrity, utilising resources such as the UKRIO’s educational materials.
- Encouraging continuous professional development in best research practices, including the conducting of research, its analysis, and dissemination.
- Authorship policy
- To support our integrity principles, Coram has its own authorship policy that sets out guidance to support good practice in assigning authorship and giving credit for intellectual work for all of Coram’s research.
9. Monitoring and Review
This policy will be reviewed annually by Coram’s Research and Ethics Committee including its Chair and the Secretariat – the current Director of Research at Coram to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. Feedback from stakeholders, as well as developments in national and international research integrity standards, will be considered in revisions.
By adhering to this Research Integrity Policy, Coram reinforces its dedication to conducting research that is ethical, credible, and of the highest quality, thereby upholding public trust and contributing positively to society.