Suzy Mejia-Buenano, a PhD student at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent is conducting a study exploring parents’ views of feeding difficulties and related supports in their children with learning disabilities. This study has been approved by Tizard Centre Ethics Committee and is being supervised by Dr. Nick Gore and Dr. Ciara Padden.

Taking part in this research will involve participating in a recorded, online 1-1.5 hour interview through Microsoft Teams with Suzy. You will also be asked to provide some short demographic information. All you need to take part is a mobile, tablet, laptop or computer with internet access. You do not need any apps or software; a link will be provided, and you will just have to click the link.

You can participate if your child is between the ages of 1.5 and 18 years, has a learning disability or global developmental delay, and a behavioural feeding difficulty (food refusal, selective eating, or challenging mealtime behaviours). Your participation is entirely voluntary.

If you or anyone you know is interested in participating, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Suzy (sm2197@kent.ac.uk) and we can have an initial discussion and provide an information sheet with more details about participating. Please feel free to share this research information widely. 

Thank you in advance for your support and interest in this research.

Contact details: Suzy Mejia-Buenano (sm2197@kent.ac.uk)

“The UCL Unit for Stigma Research is conducting a study investigating how people with learning disabilities respond to being treated unfairly by others. We have developed a new measure to help understand this, the Responding to Intellectual Disability Stigma (RIDS) tool, and are looking for adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities to participate in a pilot study. This study has been designed from the outset with input from self-advocates with learning disabilities.

 

Taking part will involve a conversation supported with photographs by video call (via Skype, Zoom or Microsoft Teams, whichever the individual might be familiar with – support will be provided to access as necessary) with a researcher to discuss situations in which people with learning disabilities might be treated unfairly. Participants will also be asked questions relating to their well-being and self-esteem. We expect the video call will take up to an hour. To say thank you for their time contributing to this research, participants will be provided with information and resources to help them stand up for themselves when treated unfairly.

 

The RIDS study is being undertaken by Abigail Goldsmith-Sumner, a trainee clinical psychologist at UCL, as part of the wider Standing Up For Myself (STORM) project that the unit is running. If anyone in your organisation is interested, please pass on their information to Abigail, who will contact them for an initial discussion to explain the research in more detail and obtain informed consent. In addition, if you, your organisation, or a supporter/ family member would like more information, Abigail would also be happy to organise a phone or videocall to discuss.

 

Thank you for your support in advance. We hope this research will allow us to further understand the impact on individuals of experiencing stigma, and how interventions designed to improve the lives and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities may be of benefit.”

 

Contact details:

 

Email: a.goldsmith-sumner.18@ucl.ac.uk

 

Twitter: @AbigailSumner2