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National Council of Social Service

Ethics Review Committee (ERC)

The NCSS Ethics Review Committee (ERC) ensures participant welfare by reviewing research proposals from NCSS sector member SSAs.

Last updated 1 August 2026

Overview

The NCSS ERC offers an accessible, timely and robust ethics review platform for research studies conducted by NCSS sector member SSAs before research commences. This ensures that the welfare and rights of participants are protected. Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to consult the ERC secretariat at research@ncss.gov.sg, before submitting an application.

You may also find out more about the ERC’s work in this NUS Social Service Research Centre webinar (July 2024).

Applying for a review

  • Applicants will need to pay a $200 application fee (before GST) at the point of application. Researchers from universities or medical groups with access to their own Institutional Review Boards (IRB) should approach those IRBs instead.

  • The nature of the research study should not be human biomedical research, as defined by the Human Biomedical Research Act.

  • Researchers involved in the study require Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) certification in research ethics. If your agency is an NCSS sector member, you can create an account affiliated with NCSS to access the required modules for free.

Review process

  • Applications will be reviewed by a committee of independent members – academics and senior representatives from the social service sector.

  • For studies that involve no more than minimal risk, applicants can expect to receive the reviewer’s comments within 10 working days. For studies that involve more than minimal risk, applicants can expect to receive the reviewer’s comments within three months.

  • Reviewers will indicate the required amendments to the study before ethics approval can be granted. Once these amendments have been made, the ERC will approve the study and the applicant may proceed.