Informed consent
Informed Consent
Please read this entire form and ask questions before deciding whether to participate in this research.
Title of the project
Revolving Doors: Insights from Foster Parents in Northeast Ohio on Foster Care Placement Instability: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology.
Principal investigator
Carla Wilson, Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Community Care and Counseling in the School of Behavioral Sciences, Liberty University.
Key Information about the Research Study
You are invited to participate in a research study. To participate, you must live in Northeast Ohio, have been a licensed foster parent for 5+ years, be between the ages of 35-60, and experienced three or more foster care placement disruptions (defined as unplanned placement moves that some foster children may experience, typically resulting from the child's challenging behavior and the foster parents' preference to move the child).
Things you should know:
- The purpose of the study is to explore different perspectives regarding foster youth disruptions and how it could negatively influence the stability of placement.
- If you choose to participate, you will be asked to complete a demographic survey (10-15 minutes), participate in a recorded, virtual interview (Microsoft Teams) that will take approximately 60-90 minutes, and review your interview transcript for accuracy.
- Participants should not expect to receive direct benefits from participating in this study.
- Taking part in this research project is completely voluntary. You do not have to participate, and you can stop at any time.
What is the study about and why is it being done?
The purpose of the study is to explore different perspectives regarding foster youth disruptions and how it may negatively influence the stability of placement. Placement instability could have an emotional impact on everyone; therefore, this study seeks to identify contributing factors that lead to disruptions that may inform strategies to steady the revolving doors.
What will happen if you take part in this study?
If you agree to participate in this study, you will be asked to: (1) Complete a demographic survey online that will take 10-15 minutes. (2) Participate in a virtual interview using a Microsoft Teams platform that will be audio and video-recorded and last approximately 60-90 minutes. (3) Review your interview transcript to verify the accuracy of your recorded statements.
How could you or others benefit from this study?
Participants should not expect a direct benefit from participating in this study. Benefits to society include the prevention of long-term consequences associated with foster youth who have experienced multiple placements. This includes school dropout, participation in illegal activities, and significant mental health challenges.
What risks might you experience from being in this study?
The expected risks from participating in this study are minimal, which means they are equal to the risks you would encounter in everyday life. Potential risks may include memories of a difficult decision that may have a negative emotional impact. If participants experience any significant emotional distress, they will be allowed to take a break, stop the interview, and/or decline further participation. Please be advised that I am a mandatory reporter. During this study, if I receive information about child abuse, child neglect, elder abuse, or intent to harm self or others, I will be required to report it to the appropriate authorities.
How will personal information be protected?
The records of this study will be kept private. Published reports will not contain any information that could be used to identify a participant. Research records will be stored securely and only the researcher and her faculty supervisor will have access to the records. Participant responses will be kept confidential by replacing names with pseudonyms. Interviews will be conducted in a location where others will not easily overhear the conversation. Data collected from you may be used in future research studies or reused or shared with other researchers. If research data is used in one of these ways, any information that could identify you, if applicable, will be removed beforehand. Data will be stored on a password-locked computer in a WinZip locked folder that only the researcher and the faculty supervisor will have access to. After three years, all electronic records will be deleted. Microsoft Teams recordings will be stored on a password-locked computer. Only the researcher and her faculty supervisor will have access to the recordings. After three years, the recordings will be deleted.
Is study participation voluntary?
Participation in this study is voluntary. Your decision whether to participate will not affect your current or future relations with Liberty University. If you decide to participate, you are free not to answer any question or withdraw at any time without affecting those relationships.
What should you do if you decide to withdraw from the study?
If you choose to withdraw from the study, please contact the researcher at the email address included in the next paragraph. Should you withdraw, data collected from you will be destroyed immediately and not included in this study.
Whom do you contact if you have questions or concerns about the study?
The researcher conducting this study is Carla Wilson, MSSA, Ed.S., LSW. You may ask any questions you have now. If you have questions later, you are encouraged to contact her via email – cwilson66@liberty.edu. You may also contact the researcher's faculty sponsor, Dr. Jerra Dooley via email jdooley1@liberty.edu.
Whom do you contact if you have questions about your rights as a research participant?
If you have any questions or concerns regarding this study and want to talk to someone other than the researcher, you are encouraged to contact the IRB. Our physical address is Institutional Review Board, 1971 University Blvd., Green Hall Ste. 2845, Lynchburg, VA, 24515; our phone number is 434-592-5530, and our email address is irb@liberty.edu.
Your Consent
By signing this document, you are agreeing to be in this study. Make sure you understand what the study is about before you sign. You will be given a copy of this document for your records. The researcher will keep a copy with the study records. If you have any questions about the study after you sign this document, you can contact the researcher using the information provided above.
IRB Approved
IRB-FY26-27-368
Approved on 10-19-2026