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All children between the ages of 11 months and 6 years living with a foster carer or family and friends carer, in the involved Local Authorities, will be invited to take part in the screening if they are eligible (which includes confirmation of consent from the necessary parties). Then it is up to the carer to decide whether or not they would like to take part in the study with the child.
The first stage of the study, which we call screening, involves completing some questionnaires by the carer and about the child and, depending on the answers, might involve an interview at the carer’s home.
After this screening we will be able to determine if the child is eligible to take part in the second part of the study, where children are allocated to either receive a new intervention (VIPP-FC) or continue receiving usual care.
Agreeing to take part in the first part of the study does not mean an obligation in any way to be involved in the second part. Also, at any stage, a carer can always change their mind, without having to give a reason and the care the child receives will not be affected in any way.
Can anyone take part in the research?
This study is for children aged 6 years old and under who are being looked after in foster or kinship care, or by a special guardian.
What are the possible disadvantages or risks of the study?
Sometimes the questionnaires and interviews used in this study can be a bit upsetting because they include some questions asking about some social or emotional difficulties that the child in care may be experiencing. If there are any concerns the research team is always happy to discuss any of the issues further and talk things through. Please do not hesitate to contact us on the details provided.
What are the possible advantages of taking part?
We hope the study will be an interesting and enjoyable experience for the child and their carer. The information we gather from this study will be used to help us improve services to other foster/kinship families with young children in the future.