In 2019 Sense, the National Deafblind and Rubella Association, and the ukactive Research Institute partnered to support the physical activity opportunities of children with complex disabilities. This was a two-stage research project.
Stage 1
Building upon the public inquiry conducted by Sense in 2015, the first phase of research looked at understanding the complex needs that families with disabled children are facing, focusing on their challenges, barriers and motivations to engaging their children in physical activity. This was conducted by the ukactive Research Institute through a national consultation of a survey and focus groups, to inform the development of Sense’s multi-sport delivery programme. The aim of this measurement and evaluation will be to measure the health and wellbeing of those taking part in the activities, linking where feasible and appropriate, to national data from Sport England’s outcomes framework, and other relevant measures.
Sense launched ‘Sense, Active Together’ with funding from Sport England, to ensure all children and young people have the opportunity to get the best possible start in life, by building on their existing sport and physical activity offer for children and young people with complex disabilities, as well as their families. The research consultation involved a combination of surveying and focus groups, and provided insights into the motivations and barriers experienced by parents and carers of children with complex disabilities and recommendations of how to enhance delivery for those children – namely by considering a person-centred approach, physical accessibility and methods of clear communication and skilled instruction.
This report can be found in an accessible format here
Stage 2
The purpose second stage of the research was to evaluate the delivery of the first stage – ‘Sense, Active Together’. The original evaluation of ‘Sense, Active Together’ aimed to measure health and wellbeing outcomes of children and young people taking part in the in-person delivery of activities. Due to Covid-19 Sense’s physical activity delivery was adapted to virtual activity sessions, run on Zoom, and the evaluation was also adapted to align with this.
Collecting data from children who are deafblind or who have complex disabilities had not been undertaken in this way (e.g. virtually, via video) before as far as the Sense Active and Children and Young People teams and ukactive Research Institute were aware. Therefore, the aim of the evaluation shifted from measuring health and wellbeing data in children who are deafblind or who have complex disabilities to developing and testing a data collection methodology in a virtual activity setting. Using modified interactive image cards, co-created by the ukactive Research institute and the Sense Active team, data was collected during the Sense, Active Together online sessions between May 2022 and December 2022. Results were a combination of data collected through the use of these cards and feedback data from the Sense teams involved in delivery, and parents and carers. Results indicated a need for a standardised, yet flexible approach to data collection with the children utilising a co-design process with parents and children themselves.
This report can be found in an accessible format here