Youth Consent and Ethics

If parental consent is unsafe and a trusted advocate is available, the framework allows advocate written consent with youth verbal assent. If parental consent is safe, the framework requires parental written consent and youth verbal assent. Some minors may self-consent if they correctly describe the project and demonstrate life capacity. The project uses a tiered consent framework designed for minors who may be unsafe seeking parental or guardian consent. Declining participation has no detrimental effects on the young person or their relationships with participating organisations. Study data are reported only in de-identified and summary form.