The purpose of this document is to provide ethical guidelines for conducting research which involves Focus Ireland customers and tenants and is carried out either by the organisation’s own staff or by external researchers commissioned by the organisation. It also provides guidance for the Focus Ireland Research department in assessing whether to support or facilitate requests by external researchers including MSc or PhD students. All Focus Ireland staff conducting research with people currently experiencing, have experienced or are at risk of homelessness, and external research consultants commissioned to undertake research on behalf of the organisation, must fully adhere to these guidelines.

The purpose of Focus Ireland’s research programme is to provide evidence and understanding on issues surrounding and related to homelessness, to improve both Focus Ireland services and public policies. When working with people and dealing with sensitive issues in social research, good ethical practice is essential. The complexity of identifying and addressing ethical issues can obviously be a very difficult task, so effective guidelines play an essential role in carrying out research. Research involving people has the potential for being exploitative and damaging, even when the intent is to benefit those who are being researched. The following guidelines are intended to minimise harm and ensure that the rights, privacy, confidentiality, data and well-being of people participating in research are fully respected. 

Focus Ireland acknowledges that these guidelines do not provide a complete set of rules for resolving ethical choices or dilemmas, but recommend that they should be used as a guide along with the principles and values exhibited in each context to resolve ethical dilemmas and maintain good practice in research. In addition to these guidelines, Focus Ireland’s ethical research practice includes consultation with an ‘Ethics Panel’ which is independent of its Research Sub Committee Advisory Group and comprises senior academics with experience in research involving marginalised groups. These guidelines apply to qualitative, quantitative, evaluative, and documentary research.