EDC
Access NI Clearance – also known as an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate (EDC) - is required for empirical research only if it falls into the remit of ‘regulated activities’. The term ‘regulated activity’ refers to certain activities or work with children and adults that the Government does not allow a barred person to undertake. It is only these activities that require Access NI clearance. The factors determining whether the activity is regulated or not and therefore an EDC is required are:
- Type of activity undertaken;
- The type of people the activity is undertaken with;
- The location where the activity is undertaken;
- The frequency with which the activity is undertaken; and
- Whether or not the activity is undertaken under supervision.
The School Manager applies for an EDC on behalf of staff or students who require this. Unless it is established that regulated activity takes place, the School cannot apply for an EDC. EDCs are non-transferrable.
You shall find the required form under SharePoint/HAPP Research Ethics Committee/Forms and Procedures here
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Adults
For adults the following are regulated activities:
- Providing health care, or personal care;
- Providing social work;
- Assisting with general household matters;
- Assisting in the conduct of a person’s own affairs;
- Conveying/transporting an adult because of their age, illness or disability to or from a place where they will receive health care, personal care, social work or any other regulated activity.
If these activities are being carried out in the course of family relationships, and personal, non-commercial relationships, they are not regarded as regulated activity. Otherwise, anyone providing any of these services to an adult is deemed to be in regulated activity irrespective of the location where this occurs. This means that an EDC must be required.
Research does not normally involve these activities, however in certain circumstances it may, for example when the research design involves action research or participant observation, and in these cases an EDC will be required.
A person whose role includes the day to day management or supervision of any person who is engaging in regulated activity, is also regarded as being in regulated activity. So, this could be a line manager of a youth worker, but not a PhD supervisor
- Children and Young People under 18 Years of Age
For children and young people under the age of 18 years, the following are regulated activities:
- Unsupervised activities: teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children, or providing advice/ guidance on well-being, or driving a vehicle only for children;
- Working in certain specified places with opportunities for contact with children, e.g. schools, children’s homes, childcare premises. Not work by supervised volunteers;
- Unsupervised child care or health care and childminding/fostering
Empirical research with children and/or young people, if it involves face-to-face contact, will qualify as regulated activity and will require an EDC if the following criteria are fulfilled:
Frequency and Time
- The contact takes place frequently by the same person. Frequently is defined as at least once per week or four times or more often during 30-day period.
- The contact takes place overnight, which is defined as the hours from 2am-6am.
Location
If the contact takes place in the following locations:
- Schools (all or mainly full time for children); Nursery Schools; Alternative Education Provision and childcare premises
- Children’s Hospital
- Institutes for the detention of children
- Children’s homes
Supervision
If the activity/fieldwork is supervised by an adult who acts as a regular supervisor for these children or young people and who has an EDC herself/himself (e.g. youth worker; teacher or classroom assistant, care home worker, nurse, prison officer), the research can take place without the researcher requiring an EDC. Master or PhD supervision does qualify as adequate supervision, so it does not suffice for a student to bring their supervisor along.
Please complete the checklist below to establish whether or not your research project requires an EDC/Access NI clearance.