Have you or your child participated in research with us before? Is your child starting school soon?
How school ready is your child?
About the study
The Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre is excited to announce that it has secured funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to follow up with the children who participated in past early intervention studies, to assess the influence of these trials on child school readiness.
Children that were involved in the following clinical trials are eligible to participate:
- REACH: Randomised trial of Rehabilitation Early in Congenital Hemiplegia (NHMRC10788877)
- GAME: Harnessing Neuroplasticity: Goal-directed Motor Enrichment for infant CP (NHMRC1120031)
- Early-PACT: Parenting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACTRN12616000351415)
- PROTECT Me: Randomised Controlled Trial of Antenatal Melatonin Supplementation for Growth Restriction for Foetal Neuroprotection (ACTRN 12617001515381)
- Pre-school HABIT-ile: Intensive rehabilitation to improve motor skills (ACTRN12620000071921)
What does the study involve?
As part of this study, children will attend assessments (approx 5-6 hours with breaks as required) to undertake a comprehensive assessment of:
- cognitive functioning,
- gross and fine motor skills,
- growth and body composition,
- nutritional status,
- feeding ability,
- communication, and
- speech
During this time, parents will be asked to complete several questionnaires about the child and their behaviours. Following the assessment appointment/s, your child will be asked to wear activity monitors (wrist and thigh) for seven days, to assess their physical activity level. At the end of your participation, a summary report will be provided to you.
Where applicable, financial support is available for travel to the appointment.
What are the benefits of this study?
Benefits to you:
After the assessments have been completed, you will receive a summary report detailing your child’s results, and if you choose, can also be sent to your child’s treating paediatrician and/or GP. You may also wish to share these results with your child’s education team and/or therapists, which may allow them to support your child’s learning more effectively.
Benefits to others:
Your participation in this research will help us to determine the impact of different early intervention strategies on school readiness of children identified as at high risk of cerebral palsy. The results of this follow-up study will be used to guide future intervention strategies to help children be ready for school.
How to participate:
To participate in this study, you or your child must have been involved in one of the four early intervention studies mentioned about (i.e., REACH, GAME, earlyPACT, PROTECT Me or Pre-school HABIT-ile). Your child must be between 4 years and 6 years 3 months. Assessments are often undertaken as a single visit, but multi-day or home visits will be arranged where appropriate.
Participation in this study is voluntary and you can withdraw from this project at any time without penalty.
Would you like more information?
If you would like to take part in this study, or have questions and would like more information, you can call one of our Clinical Research Coordinators: Laura Gascoigne-Pees on 0439 748 253 or schoolreadiness@uq.edu.au.
Security of Data and Information Confidentiality
During the study, any data that you provide to us will be de-identified (where possible) and researchers will not reveal any identified data. All data collected will be stored in a secure location.
COVID statement
All research at UQ is performed in accordance with a covid-safe management plan.
Contact us
If you would like to take part in this study, or have questions and would like more information, you can call one of our Clinical Research Coordinators: Laura Gascoigne-Pees on 0439 748 253 or schoolreadiness@uq.edu.au.
This study adheres to the Guidelines of the ethical review process of The University of Queensland and the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. Whilst you are free to discuss your participation in this study with project staff, if you would like to speak to an officer of the University not involved in the study, you may contact the Ethics Coordinator via ethics.qcprrc@uq.edu.au.
