Evidence Library

Abstract:

Aim: To investigate the experiences of parent researchers involved in a community survey within a Sure Start programme.

Method: The parent researchers were involved in the development, data collection, analysis and report writing phases of the survey and the dissemination of the findings. Their experiences were captured by questionnaires before and after the study, by a focus group at the end of data collection and via personal diaries.

Findings/recommendations: The parent researchers felt they had developed new skills through the project including:

• listening skills
• improved confidence
• the ability to communicate with a range of people
• research skills
• telephone skills.

As a result, a number of the parent researchers have taken up further courses to increase their employment prospects and continue work in the Sure Start programme.

The fact that they were local parents helped the participants in the survey to share a great deal of personal information that was at times accompanied by considerable emotion. The parent researchers felt this had helped to achieve their objective of 'doing good' for the community. Through their visits they were able to listen and support people who were isolated and also pass on information about a range of local services.

However, they were frustrated by some parts of the project, in particular:

• not being able to respond immediately to the concerns of the people they interviewed
• not being able to shape the study as much as they would have liked because the direction and nature of the project had already been set by the commissioners.

The researcher found the involvement of parent researchers to be challenging because they needed to adopt a different role - one of facilitator and occasional adviser rather than the more usual and familiar role of directive leader. This required a different set of skills.

However, they also felt that the input of local knowledge informed the work and increased the acceptability of the research to the participants. The parent researchers also improved the design of the research tool to make it more accessible. The enthusiasm and commitment they brought to the project also ensured that local agencies were aware of the findings.

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Related entry: none currently available

Categories: health
public health
Designing research
Undertaking research
Analysing and interpreting
Writing up and disseminating
impact on research
impact on service users involved
impact on researchers
impact of public involvement

Date Entered: 2009/01/28

Date Edited: 2012/11/20