Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers’ Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services

Sophie Sarre; Becki Meakin; Luke  Geoghegan; Glenn Robert; Charlie Sanders; Roxane  Lavanchy; Shani Minogue; Tom  Fadden; Molly O'Brien

doi:10.1093/bjsw/bcac248

Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers’ Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services

Sophie Sarre^*, Becki Meakin, Luke Geoghegan, Glenn Robert, Charlie Sanders, Roxane Lavanchy, Shani Minogue, Tom Fadden, Molly O'Brien

^*Corresponding author for this work

Methodologies

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

The value of co-produced research is increasingly recognised. This is a case study of a lay conducted, co-produced qualitative research study on the experiences of social workers and Disabled users of their services of using (or not) digital technologies when communicating with each other. We describe the co-production process from inception to dissemination and draw out lessons for future studies. Disabled lay researchers developed interview topic guides, conducted semi-structured interviews with social workers and Disabled users of social work services, analysed the data and led or contributed to study outputs. Several factors contributed to the success of this study. It was co-produced using service user, practitioner and academic knowledge. It is built on existing trusted relationships. Training and support were targeted and relevant, and delivered using a variety of learning methods, including peer support. Disabled lay researchers drew on their lived experiences to develop topic guides and interpret data. The study team was committed to inclusion, capacity building and an assets-based approach, and to carefully managing power relationships. Challenges were the time required to setup the study and to train and support lay researchers, and the bureaucratic and governance systems that were not ideally suited to root and branch co-production.

Original language	English
Article number	bcac248
Pages (from-to)	2820-2840
Number of pages	21
Journal	British Journal of Social Work
Volume	53
Issue number	5
Early online date	18 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac248
Publication status	Published - Jul 2023

Keywords

Co-production
Social Work
Disabled people
Research methodology

Access to Document

10.1093/bjsw/bcac248

Co-producing research with_SARRE_Publishedonline18January2023_GREEN AAMAccepted author manuscript, 327 KB

Cite this

Sarre, S., Meakin, B., Geoghegan, L., Robert, G., Sanders, C., Lavanchy, R., Minogue, S., Fadden, T., & O'Brien, M. (2023). Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers’ Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services. British Journal of Social Work, 53(5), 2820-2840. Article bcac248. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac248

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title = "Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers{\textquoteright} Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services",

abstract = "The value of co-produced research is increasingly recognised. This is a case study of a lay conducted, co-produced qualitative research study on the experiences of social workers and Disabled users of their services of using (or not) digital technologies when communicating with each other. We describe the co-production process from inception to dissemination and draw out lessons for future studies. Disabled lay researchers developed interview topic guides, conducted semi-structured interviews with social workers and Disabled users of social work services, analysed the data and led or contributed to study outputs. Several factors contributed to the success of this study. It was co-produced using service user, practitioner and academic knowledge. It is built on existing trusted relationships. Training and support were targeted and relevant, and delivered using a variety of learning methods, including peer support. Disabled lay researchers drew on their lived experiences to develop topic guides and interpret data. The study team was committed to inclusion, capacity building and an assets-based approach, and to carefully managing power relationships. Challenges were the time required to setup the study and to train and support lay researchers, and the bureaucratic and governance systems that were not ideally suited to root and branch co-production.",

keywords = "Co-production, Social Work, Disabled people, Research methodology",

author = "Sophie Sarre and Becki Meakin and Luke Geoghegan and Glenn Robert and Charlie Sanders and Roxane Lavanchy and Shani Minogue and Tom Fadden and Molly O'Brien",

note = "Funding Information: This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research{\textquoteright}s School for Social Care Research funding stream (Reference no. 102645/ER/KCLSS_P183). The title of the research study was {\textquoteleft}Improving experiences regarding the use of digital communication technologies in interactions between Disabled service users and social workers in adult services: a qualitative service user conducted enquiry to inform best practice{\textquoteright}. Funding Information: We conducted a study co-produced by a user-led organisation (Shaping Our Lives), a practitioner organisation (the British Association of Social Workers—BASW) and a university (King{\textquoteright}s College London—KCL). The study was funded by the National Institute of Health Research{\textquoteright}s (NIHR{\textquoteright}s) School for Social Care Research (SSCR) programme, whose mission is to develop the evidence base to inform and improve adult social care practice in England. SSCR{\textquoteright}s aims include capacity building in adult social care research and broadening the methodological repertoire. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.",

year = "2023",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1093/bjsw/bcac248",

language = "English",

volume = "53",

pages = "2820--2840",

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Sarre, S, Meakin, B, Geoghegan, L, Robert, G, Sanders, C, Lavanchy, R, Minogue, S, Fadden, T & O'Brien, M 2023, 'Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers’ Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services', British Journal of Social Work, vol. 53, no. 5, bcac248, pp. 2820-2840. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcac248

Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers’ Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services. / Sarre, Sophie; Meakin, Becki; Geoghegan, Luke et al.
In: British Journal of Social Work, Vol. 53, No. 5, bcac248, 07.2023, p. 2820-2840.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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AU - Sarre, Sophie

AU - Meakin, Becki

AU - Geoghegan, Luke

AU - Robert, Glenn

AU - Sanders, Charlie

AU - Lavanchy, Roxane

AU - Minogue, Shani

AU - Fadden, Tom

AU - O'Brien, Molly

N1 - Funding Information: This article presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health Research’s School for Social Care Research funding stream (Reference no. 102645/ER/KCLSS_P183). The title of the research study was ‘Improving experiences regarding the use of digital communication technologies in interactions between Disabled service users and social workers in adult services: a qualitative service user conducted enquiry to inform best practice’. Funding Information: We conducted a study co-produced by a user-led organisation (Shaping Our Lives), a practitioner organisation (the British Association of Social Workers—BASW) and a university (King’s College London—KCL). The study was funded by the National Institute of Health Research’s (NIHR’s) School for Social Care Research (SSCR) programme, whose mission is to develop the evidence base to inform and improve adult social care practice in England. SSCR’s aims include capacity building in adult social care research and broadening the methodological repertoire. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers. All rights reserved.

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Y1 - 2023/7

N2 - The value of co-produced research is increasingly recognised. This is a case study of a lay conducted, co-produced qualitative research study on the experiences of social workers and Disabled users of their services of using (or not) digital technologies when communicating with each other. We describe the co-production process from inception to dissemination and draw out lessons for future studies. Disabled lay researchers developed interview topic guides, conducted semi-structured interviews with social workers and Disabled users of social work services, analysed the data and led or contributed to study outputs. Several factors contributed to the success of this study. It was co-produced using service user, practitioner and academic knowledge. It is built on existing trusted relationships. Training and support were targeted and relevant, and delivered using a variety of learning methods, including peer support. Disabled lay researchers drew on their lived experiences to develop topic guides and interpret data. The study team was committed to inclusion, capacity building and an assets-based approach, and to carefully managing power relationships. Challenges were the time required to setup the study and to train and support lay researchers, and the bureaucratic and governance systems that were not ideally suited to root and branch co-production.

AB - The value of co-produced research is increasingly recognised. This is a case study of a lay conducted, co-produced qualitative research study on the experiences of social workers and Disabled users of their services of using (or not) digital technologies when communicating with each other. We describe the co-production process from inception to dissemination and draw out lessons for future studies. Disabled lay researchers developed interview topic guides, conducted semi-structured interviews with social workers and Disabled users of social work services, analysed the data and led or contributed to study outputs. Several factors contributed to the success of this study. It was co-produced using service user, practitioner and academic knowledge. It is built on existing trusted relationships. Training and support were targeted and relevant, and delivered using a variety of learning methods, including peer support. Disabled lay researchers drew on their lived experiences to develop topic guides and interpret data. The study team was committed to inclusion, capacity building and an assets-based approach, and to carefully managing power relationships. Challenges were the time required to setup the study and to train and support lay researchers, and the bureaucratic and governance systems that were not ideally suited to root and branch co-production.

KW - Co-production

KW - Social Work

KW - Disabled people

KW - Research methodology

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U2 - 10.1093/bjsw/bcac248

DO - 10.1093/bjsw/bcac248

M3 - Article

SN - 0045-3102

VL - 53

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EP - 2840

JO - British Journal of Social Work

JF - British Journal of Social Work

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Sarre S, Meakin B, Geoghegan L, Robert G, Sanders C, Lavanchy R et al. Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers’ Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services. British Journal of Social Work. 2023 Jul;53(5):2820-2840. bcac248. Epub 2023 Jan 18. doi: 10.1093/bjsw/bcac248

Co-producing Research with Disabled Lay Researchers: Lessons from a Project Exploring Social Workers’ Use of Digital Communication Technologies with Disabled Users of Social Work Services

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