Consent to participate

THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Approval No. HC13168

ONLINE PARTICIPANT INFORMATION STATEMENT AND CONSENT FORM

AUSTRALIAN BIRTH FATHERS OF ADOPTED CHILDREN:
THEIR PERSPECTIVES, FEELINGS AND EXPERIENCES ABOUT THE ADOPTION OF THEIR CHILD/CHILDREN

You are invited to participate in a research study titled “Australian birth fathers of adopted children” to investigate your experiences of having a child or children adopted with or without your consent.

This research aims to engage and investigate Australian birth fathers whose child or children are in the process of being adopted, or who were adopted in the past. It also seeks to investigate how the adoption impacts on and affects birth fathers, their experiences and their ability to find a new reduced role in their children’s lives.

If you decide to participate, you will be asked to complete an online survey which will take you approximately 30 minutes to complete.

If you do experience any adverse emotional distress or discomfort in the recollection of current or past events of the adoption of your child/children during the survey, you are advised to contact one of the following services who have agreed to offer counselling or support if required:

Counselling - Forced Adoption Support Services: 1800 21 03 13
http://forcedadoptions.naa.gov.au
http://dss.gov.au/forcedadoptionsupportservices

Counselling - MensLine: 1300 78 99 78
www.mensline.org.au

Support - Dads in Distress: 1300 853 437
www.dadsindistress.asn.au

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us by contacting, Paul-Auguste Cornefert, Researcher on 02 9385 1877 who will be happy to answer them.

By clicking “PARTCIPATE NOW” below you are indicating that you have read and understood this consent form and agree to participate in this research study. Please print a copy of this page for your records.

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This study is being conducted by Professor Elizabeth Fernandez and Paul-Auguste Cornefert from the University of New South Wales, Sydney. The purpose of this research study is to learn how in an environment where voices of fostered and adopted children and foster and adoptive parents are advocated and championed other voices are often obscured, such as those of the birth parents.

This survey will ask about some background information about yourself; your experience of participation and inclusion in the adoption decision making; your concerns, feelings and the impact of the adoption at the time and subsequently; your subsequent interactions with the adopted child/children.

It is anticipated there is minimum risk involved to you and every effort will be made to conduct the survey with care to ensure that you do not experience any adverse discomforts and inconveniences.

There are no perceived benefits to participants other than the identification of issues that concern individuals regarding the adoption of their child/children. No potential contact or access to your adopted child/children could eventuate by your participation in this study.

Therefore, we cannot and do not guarantee or promise that you will receive any benefits from this study.

Any information that is obtained in connection with this study cannot be identified with you and will remain confidential, and on completion of analysis, data will be destroyed and erased from the relevant hard drives of computers.

Complaints may be directed to the Ethics Secretariat, The University of New South Wales, SYDNEY 2052 AUSTRALIA (phone (02) 9385 4234, fax (02) 9385 6648, email ethics.gmo@unsw.edu.au). Any complaint you make will be investigated promptly and you will be informed out the outcome.

Feedback will be made available in the form of an online newsletter posted and updated on the research website www.birthfathers.unsw.edu.au which will be periodically updated.

Your decision whether or not to participate will not prejudice your future relations with the University of New South Wales.

Australian Fathers of Adopted Children

Consent to participate

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