The survey is now open, please find link at the end of this post 

We know that coronavirus and the new social rules have impacted the lives of people with a learning disability and their families more than others – and we need your help to understand that better. 

We, as the All Wales Forum, are looking to connect with families and carer of people with a learning disability who would need support in answering the question or would need someone else to answer the questions on their behalf. 

Without your contribution and experience we can’t paint an accurate picture of how this pandemic has affected people with a learning disability.  So, we just want to say, THANK YOU. DIOLCH. 

Background

A group of researchers and organisations who work with people with a learning disability and their families and carers across the UK has been given some funding to look into this over the next year. This research is being funded by UK Research & Innovation. The study is happening across the UK to collect a holistic view of how coronavirus has affected people with learning disabilities and their families. 

We are working with Cardiff University and the University of South Wales who are leading the study in Wales, and in collaboration with All Wales People First and Learning Disability Wales. The research is being funded by UK Research & Innovation.  

We will use the shared learning to influence policy makers and decision makers to improve future response to the current and on-going effect of COVID-19. 

I would like to know more

We are working in collaboration with other organisations to get a more holistic picture of the effect of Covid-19. By expressing your interest via the link below, you will be taken to a shared page between project partners, none of which will contact you or use or share your information for any other reason than for the purposes of the research project. 

For our data privacy policy, please click the link below – 

Read our privacy policy here. 

You can express your interest using the link below – 

Express your interest here. 

What happens next? 

By giving us your contact details, you are only saying you are interested in finding out more about the research study. It does not mean that you, or the people you care for, have agreed to take part.  

The first interviews will take place in November 2020. We will contact people interested in taking part before then with further information so that they can decide if they want to be interviewed. 

We and our partner organisations will not use your contact details for any other purposes.  

What would taking part in the research mean?  

The researchers will interview the people with a learning disability who agree to take part in the research study. For those people who cannot take part in the interviews themselves, the researchers will interview their parents & families or unpaid carers on behalf of the person with a learning disability. The researchers will interview people 3 times during the year. They will ask them questions about their wellbeing, health, social life, their services, the issues that are worrying them and how coronavirus has affected their lives. 

We recognise that participating in this study will possibly be emotionally hard and draining but only through your views and experience will we be able to report back the impact that the virus has had on people with a learning disability’s lives.  

Who else can take part in the research?

We are working collaboratively to help gather a fully rounded picture of the impact of coronavirus on people with a learning disability in Wales. If you are not a parent of carers, but would like more information, please see links to our partner websites below –

– you are a person with a learning disability, please get in contact with All Wales People First 

– you are a parent or unpaid carer of a person with a learning disability or a family/carer led organisation/ group, please get in contact with the us directly via our  details below.

– you are a paid support worker supporting a person with a learning disability or 

– you work for an organisation that knows people with a learning disability who might want to share their stories please get in contact with Learning Disability Wales  

How to contact us? 

You can contact the All Wales Forum of Parents and Carers if you want to: 

• talk about the research and about possibly getting involved
• find out more information
• register your interest by telephone
• ask any questions or clarifications

All Wales Forum, 23 Cardiff Road, Taff’s Well, CF15 7RP  

Tel: 07976 223992  

Email us at gwen@allwalesforum.org.uk 

The study is now live!

Read the Press Release here