Withdrawal of Subjects/Participants

All subjects/participants must understand that they have the right to withdraw from the research without fear of any reprisals being taken. If they so wish they must understand that they have the right to insist on the erasing of any data already gleaned from them.

Age at which consent or assent should be sought from children

As well as parental consent when required by law (i.e. age < 16 years) any teenager must be allowed to give their own consent/assent. As well children who are involved as research subjects should be offered the option of assenting to the research. The only exceptions to these rules would be where the researchers were able to establish for the validity of the research that the children should not know they were taking part in a research project.