ARU Final Report

Full Report – May 2021 11 1 Some data were collected on an older version of the Guided Conversation template. In these cases, we do not have a complete dataset for these young people. Consequently, the numbers responding to each question fluctuate. 3. Methods The data presented here is from young people with disabilities aged 16 to 24 years across the six local authorities, about their experiences of support during the Covid-19 pandemic. The criteria for participation were that the young person had to have an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP), be able to consent for themselves and have their cases open to Social Care. We heard from 21 young people with disabilities; 17 told us their gender (10 male, 6 female, 1 transitioning) and 16 told us their age 1 : Ages 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Numbers 1 1 3 5 1 3 0 0 2 Prior to the current study, an online participatory research studywas conductedwith a research team of 25 care leavers along with support workers from each local authority involved in the wider project and supported by researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU). The research team identified priority areas and developed a questionnaire to explore care leavers experiences of support during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research is reported elsewhere (O’Brien and Dadswell, 2021). The priority areas and questions from that study were adapted by the ARU researchers with input from the local authorities and used in the current research to explore the experiences of young people with disabilities. A guided conversation template was developed, consisting of six questions that each asked about experiences relating to the priority areas before and during the pandemic. The guided conversations were carried out by professionals who worked closely with each young person with disabilities. Consequently, further explanation of each question could be provided dependent on the understanding each young person had. The professionals took notes including direct quotes during the guided conversations which formed the basis for data analysis. Thematic data analysis was conducted by the ARU researchers using the priority areas as overarching themes. Ethical approval for this study was granted by the School of Education and Social Care in the Faculty of Health, Education, Medicine and Social Care (FHEMS) at Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).