VACCHO encourages, supports and promotes ethical health research which will benefit Aboriginal people and research that is planned and carried out in a culturally appropriate way.

Research Processes

VACCHO leads and is involved in various research projects, some of which are lead by VACCHO staff, others by VACCHO member organisations, and others still where VACCHO collaborates with an external organisation. 

If VACCHO is leading the research, there are several internal processes that staff must adhere to, including policies referring to steering committees and ethical review.

If VACCHO member organisations are leading the research, VACCHO has some capacity, although limited, to support the member organisations.

If VACCHO is collaborating with another organisation, there are a number of policies and processes that are relevant, and VACCHO suggests that external researchers refer to the Advice to Researchers (link to this page).  Information about the research project may also need to be provided to the VACCHO board, and allow time to undergo Ethical Review (link to this page) by the VACCHO Ethics Panel.  VACCHO also recommends a Project Agreement (link to an example - Peter) and Memorandum of Understanding (link to an example - Peter) is developed between the relevant parties.

Research Ethics

At the moment, there are no Aboriginal Human Research Ethics Committees in Victoria.  However, VACCHO is trialing a process of ethics review, which includes a panel of Aboriginal researchers.  The process of ethical review of research projects, outlined below, is detailed to ensure ethical and culturally appropriate health research that will benefit Aboriginal people.

VACCHO Process for Reviewing Ethics Applications:

1. Researcher sends an Ethics Application to VACCHO.

2. VACCHO sends a reply to the researcher with Researchers’ Checklist or VACCHO may return it to the researcher as inappropriate because the project does not fall within VACCHO’s area of responsibility e.g. not a health project; may advice researchers that the project should be referred to another organisation, or that it should be reviewed by the local Community organisation where the research is proposed.

3. Researcher returns completed Researchers’ Checklist to VACCHO.

4. VACCHO selects 2 panel members to review the application.

5. VACCHO sends to each of the 2 panel members:

• Ethics Application plus any Attachments,
• Researchers’ Checklist,
• Reviewer’s Comments Form,
• Timeline for response (usually 2 weeks).

6. Panel members review application and return Reviewer’s Comments Form to VACCHO.

7. VACCHO collates responses and determines VACCHO’s overall response as either:

• Supporting the project,
• Conditional support if changes requested by panel members are made, or
• Rejection.

8. VACCHO replies to the researcher attaching the Reviewers’ Comments, usually asking Researcher to address any concerns raised.

9. Researcher advices VACCHO of changes and returns amendments if required.

10. VACCHO sends the researcher and official letter of support or informs them by phone or email that VACCHO is unable to support the project.