Evaluation of KYHU Classroom-Based Concussion Education Program

Letter of Information and Consent for your Child to Participate in Research

Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s):

We are inviting your child to participate, with your permission, in an evaluation being conducted by Keep Your Head Up Foundation (KYHU). 

INTRODUCTION

KYHU is a registered charity offering community concussion education programs in the Waterloo Region. For the past three years we have provided education on concussions to over 1700 students in Grades 7 through 12. Your child’s school has invited us to provide an educational workshop on concussions. The learning objectives of the workshop include:

  • Recognizing common signs and symptoms of a concussion

  • Describing some of the ways concussions can impact well-being

  • Recognizing the community supports available to support concussion recovery


PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY

In order to improve the workshops, we are inviting children who participate to be part of a study of the quality of the workshop. The study is called “Evaluation of Keep Your Head Up Classroom-Based Concussion Education Program”. 

The purpose of this letter is to provide you with the information you require to make an informed decision on your child participating in this research.

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ENROLLED AND HOW THIS STUDY WILL LAST

Your child will be one of approximately 30-180 students in this school and 800 students in the Waterloo Region who will be asked to participate in this study. All the students participating in the workshop and the teacher(s) will be invited to participate in the study.

The study will be completed in the classroom during regular class time. Overall, the study will take one class period - 50 minutes for the workshop and 10 minutes for a questionnaire. 

RESEARCH PROCEDURES FOR THIS STUDY

  1. If you agree for your child to participate in this study, they will be asked to complete a questionnaire about what they learned in the workshop. 

  2. During the workshop, they will participate in a small group activity where they fill out a worksheet. This worksheet will be collected and used as part of the evaluation.

  3. The questionnaire and the worksheet will be shared with our external evaluator, Allison Meserve, for analysis. Allison will not have access to your child’s name or know who completed the surveys and worksheets. 

RISKS AND DISCOMFORTS TO YOUR CHILD IF THEY PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY

There are no known risks to your child’s participation in the study.

THE BENEFITS TO YOUR CHILD IF THEY TAKE PART IN THE STUDY

Your child will not get a personal benefit from participating in this study. Their participation may help us improve the workshop which may benefit future students who participate in the workshop. 

VOLUNTARY PARTICIPATION

Participation in this study is voluntary. You may refuse for your child to participate, refuse to answer any questions or withdraw from the study at any time with no effect on your child’s academic status or future support from KYHU. 

CONFIDENTIALITY

Your and your child’s confidentiality will be respected. The information collected will be used for research purposes only and neither your or your child’s name, nor information would could identify you or your child will be used in any publication or presentation of the study results. 

Your child’s name will not be collected on the questionnaire they complete. 

Students who have not received permission to participate will still participate in the workshop and complete the questionnaire and small group activity in order to protect their confidentiality. We will not use their questionnaire or small group activity worksheet in our study. They will be destroyed at the end of the day of the workshop.

PRIVACY AND SECURITY OF THE DATA

If they choose to participate, paper and electronic records of your child’s responses will be kept indefinitely, in a secure location in the Keep Your Head Up electronic management system. The electronic files are password protected. Once the paper records are entered into the electronic management system, they will be destroyed. The electronic records will only be accessible to Keep Your Head Up Foundation staff as well as our external evaluator. Your child’s name will not be associated with any of these files.

This research has been reviewed and approved by the WRDSB External Research Review Committee.If you have any questions about your or your child’s rights as a research subject, you may contact:

IF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS NEEDED

If you have any questions about this study, please contact:

Allie Harrison 226-220-2471; allie@keepyourheadup.ca

Felicia Corrado 226-749-2234; felicia@keepyourheadup.ca

Allison Meserve 647-668-8624; meserve_a@yahoo.com

If you have any questions about your or your child’s rights as a research subject, you may contact:

Julie Scott; julie_scott@wrdsb.ca

This letter is yours to keep for future reference. 

CONSENT FORM

I have read the Letter of Information, have had the nature of the study explained to me and I agree that my child may participate in this study. All questions have been answered to my satisfaction.