Returning to school following leukaemia diagnosis V0.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An exploration of child and parent/guardian(s) experiences of returning to school following a leukaemia diagnosis
IRAS ID
325339
Contact name
Laura Soulsby
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Liverpool
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 30 days
Research summary
Receiving a leukaemia diagnosis and the associated treatment for most children involves significant periods of time spent off school, and some may have missed years of schooling by the time they return.
Time spent away from school can have a significant impact upon children in terms of their academic and social development. Difficulties with self-esteem and keeping up with schoolwork are known to have been reported, as well as parent/guardian(s) feeling like the ‘middle man’ in trying to convey messages between school and the medical team in terms of any difficulties they are noticing with their child.
There is currently no set pathway to support children reintegrating into school following a leukaemia diagnosis, despite the considerable length of treatment in leukaemia diagnoses and the fact that treatment sometimes affects the functioning of the brain, as well as the social and developmental implications from being away from school. This highlights the importance of investigating the experiences of reintegrating back into school from the perspective of the child and their family unit. Children aged five and over who have received a diagnosis of leukaemia and their family units will be recruited from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. They will be invited to participate in an interview which will last approximately 60 minutes. Questions will ask about experiences of support offered by school, the quality of the transition, communication by relevant parties, and the experiences of adjusting back to the school environment.
The study aims to explore themes that emerge in terms of the school transition in order to inform a best practice pathway to support children and young people with their reintegration back to school.
The study is funded by the University of Liverpool, as part of a Doctoral-level project. The student researcher is currently enrolled on the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology programme.REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0113
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jun 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion