Since September 2020, researchers and organisations across the UK have set out to see what impact the Coronavirus Pandemic had on and is continuing to have on people with a learning disability. This has involved all countries in the United Kingdom.
In Wales, the All Wales Forum, All Wales People First and Learning Disability Wales have supported the researchers at the Universities of South Wales and Cardiff who have been connecting with people with a learning disability and family carers and care/support staff of people with a learning disability.
The research involves three sets of data collection. It involves talking directly with people with learning disabilities (Cohort 1 or Group 1) and having family carers and care/support workers take an online survey on behalf of people with a learning disability who would need support or for someone else to answer the questions (Cohort 2 or Group 2)
The first wave of data collection was completed in January 2021 and the second wave is due to start shortly. There will be a final wave of data collection in June 2021.
We, as the All Wales Forum are looking to connect with family carers who would participate in the study. Family carers can help support their relative with a learning disability to be interviewed by a researcher. If the person with learning disabilities cannot take part in the interview, family carers can complete the survey on their behalf.
Please click here to have more information on the research and our involvement: https://www.allwalesforum.org.uk/coronavirusandld/
You can read the results for the UK from Survey(Wave)1 in full via the links below:
Click here for the Full Report
Click here for the Report in Easy Ready
At this moment we are preparing a short summary of the findings for Wales. This will be posted on our website when it is ready.
From our first survey, we know that 149 people with learning disabilities were interviewed, and family carers and paid support staff completed an online survey for 77 people with learning disabilities. About half of the people interviewed were living with a family relative and almost three-quarters of those people completing the online survey, was a family member (71%).
We also know that half of the people with a learning disability identified as men (53%) and that the group was largely composed by younger adults with over half of participants aged under 35 years (60%)
Survey two is Open!
Check below how to participate in the second survey, depending on if you are a first-time participant or a second-time participant in this study.
I’m the family carer of a person with a learning disability who would like to be interviewed but would need my support. Can they take part?
If you think the person you care for would like to be interviewed by a researcher, you can contact Edward Oloidi at the University of Wales (Edward.oloidi@southwales.ac.uk). He will give you more information about what is involved. If you think it more useful for someone to complete the survey on their behalf, please see the following questions and answers.
If you are the family carer of a person with a learning disability who would want to take part but would need you to answer the questions on their behalf, please continue to the next question.
Did you complete the first survey?
Yes:
Please, check your email folders, including your spam folder. The link you will be sent via email is unique to you and you shouldn’t share it with anyone else, as doing so will result in your answers being cancelled. The links are being sent in batches so please keep checking your emails and spam folders in the following weeks.
Please note: The link we will be posting on our website is only for participants who haven’t been involved in the first survey.
No:
Take part in the second survey! Please, keep reading below.
What would taking part in the research mean?
The researchers will interview people with a learning disability who agree to take part in the research study. For those people for whom it is not possible to take part in the interviews themselves, their family carers or care staff can take the survey on their behalf. The researchers will interview people 3 times during the year. If you are joining us for the second survey you will only be interviewed or will take the survey twice. In the interview and Survey, researchers will ask questions about the person with a learning disability’s wellbeing, health, social life, 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 and collectively make a difference in the future.
If you are a family carer in need of support to take the survey, please contact gwen@allwalesforum.org.uk , we are here for you.
For more information and questions and answers please visit our dedicated page to the research: https://www.allwalesforum.org.uk/coronavirusandld/
Click here to complete the survey as a first-time participant.
If you are a second-time participant, please don’t click on the link but check your emails (including the spam folder) in the following weeks and click on the link that researchers will send you.
Other Useful Links:
Learning Disability Wales summary article around the study’s first findings
The Coronavirus and People with a Learning Disability Study – Facebook profile
The Coronavirus and People with a Learning Disability Study – Twitter profile
All Wales Forum Twitter – @AllWalesForum
All Wales Forum Facebook @AllWalesForum
