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Pathways of young people with VI from school and beyond: insights from longitudinal, qualitative research

RNIB Research Day 25 November 2015

Rachel Hewett

Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research (VICTAR),

Department of Disability Inclusion and Special Needs, University of Birmingham

Sue Keil

Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) team, Evidence and Service Impact, RNIB

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Today’s presentation• Background to the project• What does survey data tell us?• Research aims and objectives• Methodology• Qualitative, longitudinal research design• Two case studies:

• The pathway to becoming NEET• The pathway into employment and independent adulthood

• Next steps in the research• Next steps for policy and practice

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Background to the project

• Concerns relating to the transition experiences of young people with visual impairments:

• Anecdotal reports of poor post-school experiences• Low employment rates• How well is education preparing young people with VI

for adult life?

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What does survey data tell us?• Labour Force Survey (LFS):

• Employment rates of 16-25 year-olds: 27.8% VI compared with 52.8%

• Not in education, employment or training (NEET) aged 16-25: 42.8% VI compared with 21.7%

• LFS, Network 1000:• Higher the qualification, the more likely to be in employment• Even with a degree, people with VI less likely than people without a disability

to be employed• With no qualifications, people with VI far less likely to be employed

• US National Longitudinal Transition Study:• Factors associated with employment of 19-23 year-olds with VI were work

experience, completing a post-secondary programme of study, independent travel skills and peer social skills

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Aims and objectives

• To track the process of transition for blind and partially sighted young people from ages 14 and 16 for five years

• To identify the roles of professionals involved

• To identify the factors that improve or reduce a

young person’s chance of gaining employment

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• Five-year longitudinal qualitative study 2010 - 2015• Phase one funded by RNIB• Phase two funded by Nuffield Foundation

• Extension to October 2016 funded by Pocklington• Tracking the experiences of around 80 young

people with vision impairment through post-14 and post-16 transitions into FE, HE, employment and independent living

Project Overview

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Methodology• 82 participants aged 13-16 recruited through

local authority sensory support services • Approx. 66 still participating in the study, aged

18-21• Twice yearly telephone interviews with

participants

• Around 30 themed case studies – face to face interviews, ‘key associate’ interviews, ‘shadowing’

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MethodologyTopics include:•Tracking questions – where are the participants, what transitions did they make, and what were their experiences in getting there? (With a particular focus on Higher Education at this stage)•Support received whilst in compulsory education; transition planning•Independence – travel and mobility, access to information, self-advocacy, attitudes to independence•Work experience – paid work, voluntary work, work experience as part of curriculum, placements•Visual impairment – registration, understanding, support and information received, benefits•Access to information – strategies used, low vision aids, assistive tools, use of mainstream technology•Wellbeing, friendships, self-esteem, locus of control•Independent living – experiences, aspirations, how well prepared

Qualitative Longitudinal Study• Definitions Farall (2006), and Saldana (2003)

“Qualitative Longitudinal Research embodies a range of mainly in-depth interview-based studies which involve returning to interviewees to measure and explore changes which occur over time and the processes associated with these changes”

• Types of qualitative longitudinal studies (Epstein, 2002)

1. Continuous research in the same small society over a number of years

2. Periodic restudies at regular or irregular intervals

3. Return after a lengthy interval of time has elapsed since the original research

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QLS – Strengths and Weaknesses• Strengths

• Prospective rather than retrospective study• Can still get the respondents to reflect on their experience• Not limited to contextualised snapshots

• Strengths over quantitative longitudinal studies• Chance to chart and explore how social problems become individual problems • With quantitative methods, extreme experiences can often be lost

• Weaknesses• Resource intensive• Change takes time to emerge, so studies may need to last years• Requires researcher commitment• Repetitive nature may bring about question fatigue

• References: Farall (2006); Holland et al (2006), Saldana (2003)

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Qualitative Longitudinal Studies – ESRC focus• ESRC concerned social science research focusing too heavily

on quant methods → feasibility study into QLS• “Qualitative research can reach the areas that quantitative

research cannot reach, producing high quality, in-depth data, and providing great explanatory value” (Molloy et al)

• Literature review identified transitions as key area for qualitative longitudinal research

• Methodology should not drive design → RQs addressed with appropriate tools

• ‘Small’ study can generate a lot of data• Ethical concerns – data can be a ‘fingerprint’ of individual• Long term funding very important

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Case study 1: The pathway to becoming NEET

• “William”: Registered blind, preferred format pt 36• Struggled accessing GCSEs in mainstream school > did not

achieve 5 A*-C• Post-16 went to specialist college where he described they

would have “better equipment for my needs”• Completed Foundation Diploma & Level 2 course• Wanted to take Level 3 course, ran out of funding• Aspirations:

• “Even if I do well at school I’ll have a hard time getting the right kind of job”: Agree

• “People like me don’t have much of a chance in life”: Strongly Agree

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Case study 1: The pathway to becoming NEET

• Left college > looked for apprenticeship• Voluntary work • Job centre > not invited to join Work Programme• Rented house with friend• NEET for 3 years > not actively seeking

employment

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Case study 2: Pathway into employment and independent adulthood

• “Mark”: Not registered (eligible), preferred format pt 24

• Studied in mainstream school > achieved 5 A*-C

• Went to college > Level 3 qualification

• Successful speculative application for Apprenticeship

• Aspirations:

• “Even if I do well at school, I’ll have a hard time getting the right job”: Neither Agree or Disagree

• “People like me don’t have much of a chance in life”: Disagree

• Apprenticeship > Permanent Employment > Promotion

• Independently purchased first home

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Next steps in the research• Moving into Phase 3 > Funded by Thomas

Pocklington • Focus on transition into employment and

transition into independent living• Continuing with longitudinal interviews and case

study work• Development of guidance material based on

research findings• Campaigns/Influencing (e.g. DSA consultation)

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Next steps for policy and practice

• Implications for practice:• Greater emphasis on independent learning,

independent mobility and daily living skills, and self advocacy skills

• As part of transition planning, YP need meaningful work experience opportunities, access to informed careers advice, information on FE, HE and DSA and Access to Work

• FE and HE providers need better understanding of needs of students with VI

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Next steps for policy and practice

• Current policy context: Children and Families Act 2014 and new SEND Code of Practice:• Code of Practice extended to cover 0-25 age range• Clearer focus on the participation of CYP [and parents]

in decision-making at individual and strategic levels • Stronger focus on high aspirations and on improving

outcomes for CYP• Greater focus on support that enables those with SEN

to succeed in their education and make a successful transition to adulthood

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Next steps for policy and practice• Sharing key findings and their implications with

policy makers:• UOB/RNIB/Nuffield meeting with DfE SEND reforms

monitoring team• RNIB/UOB collaboration on response to DSA consultation

• Involving YP in development of resources:• Learner outcomes toolkit• Co-production of HE guidance – further guidance to follow

• Disseminating through practitioner networks and training

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References• Douglas G, Pavey S, Clements B and Corcoran C (2009) Network 1000.

Visually impaired people’s access to employment. Visual Impairment Centre for Teaching and Research, School of Education, University of Birmingham for Vision2020 UK.

• Hewett R with Keil S (2015) Investigation of data relating to blind and partially sighted people in the Quarterly Labour Force Survey: October 2011 – September 2014. VICTAR, University of Birmingham for RNIB

• Hewett R with Keil S (2015) Secondary analysis of the Labour Force Survey (LFS) EU module. VICTAR, University of Birmingham for RNIB

• Capella McDonnall M (2011) ‘Predictors of Employment for Youths with Visual Impairments: Findings from the Second National Longitudinal Transition Study’ Journal of Visual Impairment and Blindness, August 2011, pp 453-466

References• Farrall, S. (2006) Farrall, S. ‘What Is Qualitative

Longitudinal Research? 2006.’ LSE Methodology Institute, Papers in Social Research Methods, Qualitative Series, Paper 11.

• Saldana, J (2003) Longitudinal Qualitative Research, Alta Mira Press, New York

• Holland, J ., Thomson, R., & Henderson, S. (2004). Feasibility study for a possible Qualitative Longitudinal Study: A Discussion Paper. Report to ESRC

• Molloy D., & Woodfield, K. with Bacon, J. (2002) Longitudinal qualitative research approaches in evaluation studies, Working Paper No. 7, London: HMSO

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Contact details

• Sue Keil, RNIB: sue.keil@rnib.org.uk

• Rachel Hewett, VICTAR, DISN, University of Birmingham: r.g.hewett@bham.ac.uk www.twitter.com/RachelHewettUoB