Social Work Research Support

Ethically, informed consent is part of the principle of respect for autonomy. Rights of self-determination and “not to be harmed” are implicit in the South African Constitution. Furthermore, the Department of Health makes clear that the primary consideration in any research within health and social care is preserving the dignity, rights, safety and well-being of participants and that informed consent is at the heart of ethical research (DOH Ethics in Health Research, 2004).