The aim of this study is to understand the experiences of family members living in the UK who care for a child with an intellectual disability (often called learning disability or learning difficulties in the UK). We wish to capture the experiences of parents/parental caregivers and any siblings.

We have recruited over 1,000 families to take part in this research, including yourselves. We are now following up with these families, because it is important to understand how families change over time and adjust in different ways to having a child with intellectual disability. We have also invited fathers or male carers to take part, because it is important to understand fathers’ and male carers’ experiences and wellbeing.

Vouchers

We will send out the £10 vouchers to everyone who requested one and provided either their email address or postal address at the end of every month. Please contact us if you need to change the details you provided or have any other questions.

Resources

We realise that some of questions may be upsetting for some people, as we asked about your wellbeing and some of the challenges faced by you, your family and your child with intellectual disability. If any of the survey or interview questions made you concerned for yourself or another family member’s wellbeing, we recommend that you contact your General Practitioner (GP) or one of the helplines listed below:

Mencap: 0808 808 1111
Contact: 0808 808 3555
Family Lives 0808 800 2222
Mencap Cymru: 0808 8000 300

In addition, a factsheet on emotional wellbeing for parents/carers of children with a learning disability can be found at http://www.cerebra.org.uk/help-and-information/guides-for-parents/factsheet-emotional-well/. The Dads of Disabled Children Research Advisory Group also have a series of videos 'for dads by dads' which cover a range of topics (https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/cedar/familyresearch/fatheradvisorygroup).

Finding Out More

Once the research study is complete, we will provide information about the results of the research on our website, as well as through our social media pages. You may opt to follow us on Twitter (@Family_RG1) and/or Facebook (www.facebook.com/FamilyRG1) to keep up-to-date with the research. To hear about further research with dads, please visit the Twitter page @father_research.

Questions and Concerns

If you would like to ask any questions about the study, please contact a member of the research team (Email: familyresearch@warwick.ac.uk).

If you are unhappy about any aspect of this research study, please contact the Chief Investigator Richard Hastings by mail, email or telephone (CEDAR, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL; R.Hastings@warwick.ac.uk; Tel: 02476 522 197).

If you have any concerns about your treatment during this research please use the contact details below. Any complaint about the way you have been dealt with during the study or any possible harm you might have suffered will be addressed. Please address your complaint to the person below, who is a senior University of Warwick official entirely independent of this study:

Head of Research Governance
Post: Research & Impact Services,
University House,
University of Warwick,
Coventry, CV4 8UW
Email: researchgovernance@warwick.ac.uk
Tel: 024 76 522746

Thank you very much for taking part in this research.