The Department of Communities (Disability and Community Care Services) recognises the role of research in assisting the department to realise its vision of a society that values people living with a disability, experiencing mental illness and the frail aged, and their families and carers.
Disability and Community Care Services is also committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and personal safety of people with a disability who choose to be involved in research activities and has developed a policy (and supporting procedures) to guide the consideration of applications to conduct research.
The policy applies to research undertaken:
- with Disability and Community Care Services employees
- with clients of Disability and Community Care Services operated services
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using Disability and Community Care Services-provided data, including de-identified data
- by students and researchers external to Disability and Community Care Services
- by Disability and Community Care Services employees where research is not part of their normal duties.
The policy does not apply to:
- consultants (for whom other arrangements are made)
- Disability and Community Care Services staff whose normal duties include research.
The policy provides for a structured, time-limited approval process and for specific roles within Disability and Community Care Services for the approval and co-ordination of research applications and activities.
Research applications
The first point of contact for research applicants is the Research Contact Officer who will arrange an initial meeting with a delegated officer to discuss a research idea prior to application.
A research application requires the researcher to do the following:
- complete Application to Conduct Research in Disability and Community Care Services form
- complete Acknowledgment of Obligations form contained within Terms and Conditions Governing the Conduct of Research in Disability and Community Care Services
- attach all relevant documentation (including an Ethics Clearance, Criminal History Clearance, a Literature Review, copies of all research instruments and documents for obtaining informed consent).
All research proposals must conform to privacy provisions under the Information Privacy Act (Qld) 2009, the Privacy Act (Cth) 1988, and the ethical standards outlined in the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007) .
Approval process
Research applications are considered by the Deputy Director-General, Disability and Community Care Services. The policy also requires that the Deputy Director-General consider research materials prior to publication and provides for action where there is a breach of the Terms and Conditions. Researcher obligations are outlined in detail in the Terms and Conditions Governing the Conduct of Research in Disability and Community Care Services.
Researchers wishing to consider an application can download the forms by following the links below and/or can arrange to discuss a research idea with a delegated officer by contacting the Research Contact Officer on (07) 3836 0497.
Downloads
- Application to conduct research in Disability and Community Care Services Application to conduct research in Disability and Community Care Services
- Terms and conditions governing the conduct of research in Disability and Community Care Services Terms and conditions governing the conduct of research in Disability and Community Care Services
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