This page contains all of the information about a research project titled: A survey study exploring educators’ understanding of behavioural and learning difficulties in school-aged children and adolescents.
The study is being carried out by Gemma Fordham as a requirement for a MSc Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders from NSPC and Middlesex University.
You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide to participate, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve.
Please take your time to read the following information carefully to decide if you would like to take part in the study.
What is the purpose of the research?
The purpose of this study is to explore how educators (teachers and other educational professionals) interpret school-age students’ (both primary and secondary aged) behavioural and learning difficulties, and how students are supported.
You are being asked to take part because you are or recently have been (within the past five years) an educator (e.g., teacher, SENCO, teaching assistant, learning support assistant, pastoral lead, head of year, inclusion lead).
Do I have to take part?
No, it is up to you to decide whether or not to take part. If you decide to take part, you will be asked to complete a consent form on the following page.
What will happen to me if I take part?
If you agree to take part, you will complete an online survey which will take you up to 20 minutes to complete.
If you are happy to take part after you have read this information page, you will be directed to the next page which is a consent form. Once you have read and signed the consent form, you will be directed to the first page of the survey, and you will answer a series of questions focused on student behavioural and learning difficulties and your understanding of them on the subsequent pages of the survey.
There are no right or wrong answers. You are simply being asked to respond based on your own professional judgement and experience.
At the end of the survey, you will be provided with further information about the aims of the research, and you will have the option of opting in to receive a summary of the research findings once my MSc thesis has been marked (in March/April, 2027).
What will you do with the information that I provide?
All information you provide will be treated as strictly confidential and used only for research purposes.
The study does not collect identifying information, such as your name. Instead, your responses will be anonymous. You will be asked to generate a unique code so that you can withdraw your data if you choose to do so.
Data will be stored securely on password-protected and encrypted systems. Only the researcher and authorised supervisor will have access to the data. Data will be stored according to the UK data protection act 2018 and UK GDPR.
All data will be analysed in combination with responses from other participants. This means that your individual responses will NOT be identifiable in any reports or publications.
The results of this study may be included in academic work, such as a dissertation, and may be published in academic journals. However, no information that could identify you would be included.
Anonymised data from this study will be kept for 10 years in line with GDPR guidelines and NSPC policy, after which time it will be deleted.
What are the possible disadvantages of taking part?
Taking part in this study is not expected to cause any harm or significant disadvantage.
Some participants may find that responding to questions requires concentration or reflection. The survey will take up to 20 minutes for you to complete, so please plan for this once you start. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, without giving a reason. If you choose to do so, simply close your browser before you have completed the survey. We will not keep any incomplete data. You have the right to withdraw your data up to two weeks after you have completed the survey by contacting the researcher (details below).
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
You can opt in to receiving a summary of the research results which may help you to understand how educators interpret students’ behavioural and learning difficulties at school. The results of this research may contribute to improving understanding of how students’ needs are identified and supported in educational settings.
Who is organising or sponsoring the research?
The study is being conducted by Gemma Fordham as part of the MSc Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders programme at the New School of Psychotherapy and Counselling in partnership with Middlesex University.
Who has reviewed the study?
All proposals for research using human participants are reviewed by an Ethics Committee before they can proceed. The NSPC research ethics sub-committee have approved this study.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
If you have any further questions, you can contact me (the researcher) at:
Gemma Fordham: Gemma.Fordham.Research@outlook.com
If you any concerns about the conduct of the study, you may contact my supervisor:
Dawn Querstret: dawn.querstret@nspc.org.uk
Or
The Principal
NSPC Ltd. 61 – 63 Fortune Green Road
London NW6 1DR Admin@nspc.org.uk
0044 (0) 20 7435 8067
Consent
Thank you for reading the information sheet about our study.
Participation in this research is entirely voluntary. You do not have to take part if you do not want to. If you decide to take part, you may withdraw at any time without giving a reason.
If you do not wish to take part, simply close your browser window now. If you are happy to take part, please click on the ‘Proceed’ button below.
