including children with high support needs

Including Children with High support Needs

-not so difficult after all!

8 April 2023

1debby.watson@bris.ac.uk

ESRC seminar 28.11.13

Today we will…….

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1. Consider how to realistically and ethically include young people with high support needs

2. Provide examples of ways in which young people with high support needs have been included in research

3. Consider what resources beyond the young person we may need to draw on

Children with high support needs

• Children who may or may not: • use speech• have health issues• use wheelchairs or other aids to move around• have a learning difficulty• have a combination of the above

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• Happy, chuckles• Engaging• Likes to be busy• Likes going fast• Not worried by

new situations• Loves his iPad• Has friends• ‘Dances’ • Loves balloons,

shiny things and music

• Oxygen dependent

• Cerebral palsy• Hearing and

visual impairment

• Born at 23 weeks

• Epilepsy• No independent

mobility • Respiratory

arrests

Harry

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‘A full time job on top of a full time job’

Interpretation

• How do you know that what you think is happening is happening?• Be prepared• Tune in• Consult

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Consent/assent

• Has to be seen as a process• Consult with caregivers• Method used should be appropriate for child• At simplest level may involve looking for adverse

reactions – need to get to know child to be able to recognise ‘signs’

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Study 1. Working Together?

• Discussed what we could realistically find out/what we wanted to know

• Met the parents to find out about their child• Brought range of resources along – pens, large

sheet of paper, smiley faces, toys• ‘Spent time’ with the children

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Study 2. Participation in Education (PIE)

• Met the children at home• Observed children at school (with two members

of Listening Partnership on one occasion)• Asked questions to a small group of children with their supporters and two members of Listening Partnership

Study 3. Passport to Play

• 32 observation sessions in three different settings:

• Home• School• Playful setting

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Why different methods?

debby.watson@bris.ac.uk11

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Methods

Participants

Ethics

Practical issuesResearch design and topic

Background Knowledge

What helps?

• Literature – to know what’s been done• Other researchers- to know (honestly!) what’s worked• Those who know the child well- to know what’s

possible• Theoretical approaches- to know what should be done• Research ethics- to know what’s right• The child- to know how

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To summarise:

• Want to include children with high support needs• Have to be mindful of the demands on families and

services• Have to be realistic • The child is more important than a flashy method• Use the individual child as your starting point• Be ethical!• Keep it simple – only need to know basic things

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Final word from the Listening Partnership:• They’re all individuals• All equals• Don’t label them• Treat them the same as anybody else• Know that they have individual needs and understand them• Give them the 1:1 they need• There are different levels of learning difficulties• People don’t always know when they need support• Ask if they can use their communication aid• All kids need play!

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