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Workshop: Why working with parents makes your research better (and how to do it well)
Led by: Kirstin Eccles, Rachael Loftus, Nikki Chapman, Yasmeen Zaman, and Cathy Creswell
You know the importance of working with parents, but what next? This workshop gave attendees the chance to hear about parents’ personal experiences of working with researchers and practitioners; what it feels like when it’s done badly and what good practice looks like.
Three key messages:
- Working with parents/carers makes for better outcomes for everyone.
- Improving the quality of research by harnessing the lived experience of parents/carers.
- Top tips for working with parents/carers.
This workshop was connected to our Supporting the Supporters research challenge: How can young people, family members, and settings be better enabled to help promote good mental health and prevent and overcome emerging mental health problems?
Photos from Oxford Atelier
Workshop Live Tweets
You can read a great thread below from @laurene_fontane who live-tweeted the workshop.
#EmergingMinds listening to parents of young people with mental health problems talk about the struggle of taking part in meaningful research.
— Laurene Fontan (@laurene_fontan) October 17, 2022
'The system needs to fit the parents, not the parents working around the system.' – parents need flexibility and support to be able to take part in research.
— Laurene Fontan (@laurene_fontan) October 17, 2022
Panel members discussed how taking part in research can make them feel. One member discussed how they felt their story had been 'harvested' and that left them feeling used.
— Laurene Fontan (@laurene_fontan) October 18, 2022
It was also highlighted that parents need to be financially compensated fairly for taking part in research – not just a £10 Tesco voucher!
— Laurene Fontan (@laurene_fontan) October 18, 2022
Parents need to feel seen and heard and make meaningful human connections with researchers when sharing their stories.
— Laurene Fontan (@laurene_fontan) October 18, 2022
Creating meaningful opportunities for parents to get involved in research and adequately supporting them to do so. Can give parents a sense of empowerment and lead to more meaningful and powerful research!
— Laurene Fontan (@laurene_fontan) October 18, 2022