Informed Consent
Project Title
The impact that COVID-19 had on caregivers of children or youth with special needs.
Purpose of the Study
The goal of this survey is to find out how families or caregivers of children or youth with special needs are currently coping. This study will be used to uncover the changing needs of families due to COVID-19. This survey is a joint effort by students in the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology’s (NAIT) Bachelor of Technology program and the Child and Adolescent Services Association (CASA) in Edmonton.
Participation and Withdrawal
Participation is entirely voluntary and anonymous. No identifying information will be collected. You can skip or refrain from answering any question. Only those participants who hit the final submit button will be participating in the study. To withdraw from the survey, simply close your browser anytime before hitting the final submit button. Once the final submit button is pressed, the survey cannot be withdrawn from because it is anonymous, therefore we would be unable to remove any responses.
The survey will take approximately 12-15 minutes to complete.
Are there Risks or Benefits if I participate?
Participation in this survey poses minimal risk to participants. This means that the potential harm you may encounter through participation in this study is no greater than the possible harm you might encounter in any other aspect of your everyday life. If you find any of these questions triggering or are needing support, please reach out to Alberta’s Mental Help Line at 1-877-303-2642, Alberta’s Health Link at 811, or Alberta’s Helpline at 211.
The questions have been formulated based on other studies conducted in Canada. The results of this Alberta-based study will be used for comparison to other provinces and to make recommendations to support families.
Benefits
The survey results can help the organizations supporting people with special needs to understand their current conditions and needs. In addition, it can be used to persuade the government to change the policies, funding, and support programs for the betterment of families with special needs.
What happens to the information I provide?
Once the survey closes, the anonymous data will be stored on a locked, secure student's USB drive for the duration of the project. This survey will form part of an eight-month capstone project. After this time, the locked, secure student's USB will be destroyed. If you would like to find out about the results of this survey, please email naitcapstoneteam23@gmail.com to be added to a mailing list with updates. (You do not have to complete the survey to get the results).
Questions/Concerns?
If you have questions or require further clarification regarding this research, please contact the student team: naitcapstoneteam23@gmail.com
If you have any concerns about how you’ve been treated as a participant, please contact NAIT’s research ethics board at REB@nait.ca