What I Need in School (WINS)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What I Need in School: Developing guidelines for best practice for young people with epilepsy in schools in the UK
IRAS ID
223331
Contact name
(Judith) Helen Cross
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Young Epilepsy
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Despite the comprehensive impact of epilepsy on school functioning, there is a lack of systematic research on the experiences of young people with epilepsy in schools and their views on efficacious educational supports. There is also a lack of research on the views of parents and teachers regarding efficacious educational practices in childhood epilepsy. There is evidence that teachers often lack knowledge about epilepsy and in particular the impact the condition on learning and behaviour in educational settings.
The need to involve all stakeholders in decisions about services and supports in childhood epilepsy has been recognized. It has also been acknowledged that service improvement and provision is only attainable through involving children and listening to their views. There is thus, a need to ask young people, parents and teachers about their experiences in school and what support/interventions they feel would be the most useful. The involvement of these stakeholders can help the development of appropriate programs of support for affected young people and also guide future research into interventions in school based settings. There is also a need to identify, record and ultimately disseminate good educational practices in childhood epilepsy. By working with teachers who support children with epilepsy it will be possible to identify practices which are efficacious but also barriers to implementation of such practices. This study will build on the legacy of the CHESS project (NHS REC # 10H11116) and move beyond identification of school based difficulties to identification of specific support needs and dissemination of best practice. By giving young people, parents and teachers advice it will be possible to develop guidelines which reflect the reality in schools and allow valid guidelines to be put in place.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/YH/0256
Date of REC Opinion
22 Sep 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion