How do we engage and enable young people with diverse needs to take part in surveys?

About the study

The SEND Futures Discovery Phase is a large-scale feasibility study, comprising two waves of quantitative data collection with young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parent or guardian. The study was commissioned by the Department of Education (DfE) and will inform the planning of a future longitudinal study of children and young people with SEND living in England – a significant piece of new data infrastructure if commissioned. The Discovery Phase study was carried out by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) in collaboration with the National Children’s Bureau (NCB). 

This report sets out methodological findings from the second wave of the study, undertaken between April and September 2023 with young people in Year 9 (aged 13-14) and their parent or guardian. A detailed summary and reflections on implications for the mainstage study are provided in the ‘Summary and reflections’ chapter. Main points are also provided in what follows. Separate reports set out methodological findings from the first wave of the study and findings from analysis of data collected from young people and their parents.

Key findings 

Response and participation

• At the second wave, data were collected from or about 2,457 young people. 1,967 young people completed a survey themselves.
• With some variations across the different strands of the study (see methodology), autistic young people were the group with the highest participation rates. Conversely, young people with communication and interaction needs were the least well represented in the young person survey.
• Young people in Alternative Provision were less likely to take part than those in mainstream or special schools.

Implications

• The Discovery Phase study has demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a large-scale survey with a population of young people with SEND through web, telephone and face-to-face and identified several key considerations.
• A key challenge for future studies with this population will be to reflect on how to accommodate the wide variety of needs and circumstances, reflecting on aims and priorities from the outset:
  • Questionnaire content must be well understood, relevant and meaningful to young people with diverse needs and experiences. 
  • Using multiple modes (in particular web and face-to-face) may help drive up engagement and help improve accessibility and representation.
  • To enhance data quality and interview experience, develop (mode-specific) protocols and guidance for providing support and assistance to the young people taking part – for interviewers and for parents/guardians. Record paradata on any assistance being provided.
  • Stakeholder engagement and user testing with relevant parties can help develop targeted approaches where needed.

Methodology

Summary

The study has collected two rounds of survey data with the same young people and their families – the first wave of data collection took place in the summer of 2022, when the young people were at the end of Year 8 at school (aged 12-13) and the second wave of data collection took place a year later, when the young people were in Year 9 (aged 13-14).

Sample:

• All young people in the study were registered on the National Pupil Database (NPD) as having SEN at the time they were in Year 8.
• The sample selected for the study ahead of wave 1 consisted of two strands:
  • Strand 1 comprised a selection of young people with one or more of four characteristics: with ‘looked after’ or ‘in need’ status, from ethnic minorities and/or eligible for free school meals. 
  • Strand 2 comprised a representative sample of all young people with SEN in the relevant year group. 

Methodology:

• Survey with young person and their parent or guardian at each wave.
• Wave 1 was single-mode:
  • Strand 1 were invited to take part face-to-face
  • Strand 2 were invited to take part online 
• Wave 2 was a sequential web-first:
  • Strand 1 were invited to take part online, then via telephone, then face-to-face
  • Strand 2 were invited to take part online, then via telephone
• A range of methodological experiments were carried out across the two waves, including on the use of participant incentives, targeted messaging and interviewer training.