Ethics and empathy in sensitive research

Practical online training for carrying out sensitive research with confidence.

Sensitive research can bring situations that aren't always covered in traditional research methods training.

How do you build trust when you're asking someone to talk about difficult experiences? What do you do if a participant becomes upset? When does something become a safeguarding concern? And how do you show empathy while maintaining your role and boundaries as a researcher?

This practical, interactive session will explore some of those challenges and help you feel more confident carrying out research that is ethical, empathetic and safe for everyone involved.

What we'll cover:

Ethics and empathy in research
How to make proportionate ethical decisions when situations aren't always clear-cut, including a simple framework you can use to think through decisions in the moment.

Building trust and psychological safety
How to create the right conditions for people to participate safely, openly and meaningfully, from first contact through to the end of the research.

Designing inclusive research
How people's different needs, experiences and circumstances can affect participation, and practical ways to build greater choice, accessibility and inclusion into your approach.

Maintaining professional boundaries
How to show empathy and respond sensitively while staying within your role as a researcher.

Responding to safeguarding concerns
How to notice when something doesn't feel right, recognise potential concerns and think through an appropriate and proportionate response.

Looking after yourself as a researcher
How sensitive research can affect researchers too, and practical ways to recognise and manage its impact.

Throughout the session, we'll use real-world examples, scenarios and discussion to explore how these issues play out in practice.

Who is it for?

This session is for researchers who want to feel more confident carrying out sensitive research.

It will be particularly useful if you're newer to researching sensitive topics, want to build your confidence in navigating difficult situations, or simply want an opportunity to strengthen your existing practice.

The session is relevant to researchers working across research agencies, charities, universities, government, local authorities, public services and other organisations carrying out research with people.

You don't need to work exclusively on sensitive topics. Any research involving people has the potential to become sensitive, and many of the principles we'll explore are useful whenever research involves personal experiences, potentially vulnerable participants or difficult conversations.

Please note: this is practical research training focused on applying ethical principles and professional judgement in real-world research situations. It is not a safeguarding qualification or a replacement for your organisation's own safeguarding, ethics or research governance procedures.

What you'll take away

By the end of the session, you'll have practical approaches to help you:

• make confident and proportionate ethical decisions
• design research that feels inclusive, safe and respectful
• build trust and psychological safety with participants
• navigate difficult or unexpected situations
• recognise and respond to potential safeguarding concerns
• maintain healthy professional boundaries
• look after your own wellbeing when researching difficult topics

You'll also receive a practical takeaway resource summarising key tools and prompts from the session to use in your own research.

What to expect

The session combines short presentations with practical scenarios, activities, small-group discussions and opportunities to reflect on your own research practice.

We deliberately keep our training groups small, with a maximum of 10 participants, so there's plenty of opportunity to ask questions, share experiences and learn from other researchers.

The session will be delivered online. There will be different ways to take part, including speaking, small breakout groups and using the chat, and we encourage you to engage fully to get the most out of the session.

Session details

Duration: 2 hours
Location: Online
Group size: Maximum 10 participants
Cost: £90 per person including VAT (£75 + VAT)

A VAT invoice will be provided following booking.

Booking through an organisation?
If your organisation requires a purchase order or payment by invoice rather than card, please contact hello@smplresearch.co.uk and we'll be happy to arrange this.

Interested in booking several places?
If you'd like to book multiple colleagues or are interested in a private session for your team, please get in touch.

Your trainers

The session will be led by Poppy Reece and Maura O'Malley, co-founders of SMPL Research.

We have extensive experience carrying out sensitive and inclusive research across the public and voluntary sectors, working with people including survivors of domestic abuse, children and young people, people in care and care-experienced young people, people with disabilities, and people sharing difficult or personal experiences.

Poppy Reece – Managing Director, SMPL Research

Poppy began her research career in local government and has extensive practical experience of leading sensitive qualitative and participatory research, including projects exploring domestic abuse and violence against women and girls.

She holds the MRS Advanced Certificate in Market and Social Research Practice and has a background in social psychology and sociology. Her approach focuses particularly on embedding empathy, ethics and psychological safety into the research process.

Maura O'Malley – Field Director, SMPL Research

Maura's career spans the NHS, local authorities and the voluntary sector, and she specialises in accessible, inclusive and person-centred qualitative research and evaluation.

She has carried out research with survivors of domestic abuse, people with disabilities and children in care, and has extensive experience of building trust, removing barriers to participation and adapting research approaches around people's individual needs so that everyone can be included.

About SMPL Research

SMPL Research is an independent social research and evaluation agency working across the public, voluntary and community sectors. We put people at the centre of our research and specialise in making research simple, inclusive, and meaningful.

Find our more about SMPL Research.

Have questions?

If you have any questions about this session or want to know more, please get in touch at hello@smplresearch.co.uk.