Australian Capital Territory
Children and Young People (Research) Standards 2009 (No 1)
Disallowable instrument  DI2009-34
made under the
Children and Young People Act 2008, Section 887 Standard-making power
EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Introduction
These standards address the conduct of research that involves children, young people and others as defined at section 806 of the Children and Young People Act 2008. The matters to be covered by these Research Standards are in section 808: Research standards—certain matters to be covered of the Children and Young People Act 2008. 
1.	Legal authority
The Research Standards are made pursuant to sections 887: Standard-making power, which allows the Minister to make Research Standards for the Children and Young People Act 2008.
2.	Purpose
The Children and Young People Act 2008 contains provisions for the Chief Executive to approve certain research projects. Research projects that require the approval of the Chief Executive under the Children and Young People Act 2008 are defined by the Act and outlined in the Research Standards. 
A reference to a child and young person in these standards includes a young offender as defined in the dictionary of the Children and Young People Act 2008, or a young detainee as defined in the section 95 Children and Young People Act 2008.
A researcher for an approved research project is an information holder as defined by section 843: Who is an information holder of the Children and Young People Act 2008, and is subject to the provisions of Chapter 25: Information secrecy and sharing of the Children and Young People Act 2008. 
A participant is a child or young person, or their parent(s) or guardian(s) or any other person who takes part or may potentially take part in a research project. 
3.	Summary of standards
The Research Standards identify key principles on which the design, conduct and approval of research as defined by section 806 of the Act is based. The research standards have been determined from the Act and from current national and international practice.