Experiences of regular COVID-19 testing in people with SEND
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Engagement with regular asymptomatic COVID-19 testing in people with Special Education Needs and Disabilities.
IRAS ID
311194
Contact name
Richard Amlôt
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UK Health Security Agency
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 9 days
Research summary
Currently, Lateral Flow tests (LFT) and PCR tests are the main COVID-19 tests that are accessible to all in the UK. However, many parents of children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) have reported that due to sensory issues, people with SEND are not able to use these methods of testing. It is important that people with SEND can access testing as it has been reported that the mortality rate from COVID-19 in those with SEND is 6.3 times higher than the average population.
It is essential to understand any reasons that people with SEND are not able to engage in regular asymptomatic testing, as well as understanding how parents/guardians and teachers/carers/support workers view regular testing of their children. This study aims to gain a better understanding of barriers and facilitators to engaging in regular testing, in relation to both LFT and Direct LAMP tests, which will help inform local policy and practice decisions to support people with SEND to take up the testing offer.
The study will use structured focus groups to understand parents/guardians and teachers/support workers behaviours and attitudes in relation to regular COVID-19 testing in people with SEND. In addition, interviews will be conducted with individuals with SEND to understand their experience and feelings towards regular testing. For those that are not comfortable with taking part in an interview or are unable to communicate verbally, a storyboard will be available that enables individuals to follow the story about COVID-19 testing and use emotion cards to express their feelings through the perspective of the fictional character.
We will produce interim and final reports, focusing on barriers and facilitators to engagement with regular asymptomatic testing in people with SEND, as well as policy and guidance recommendations for improving engagement with testing.
REC name
South Central - Berkshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/SC/0036
Date of REC Opinion
25 Feb 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion