What is the trial about?
In 2023 and 2024 we will be recruiting 60 families in 2 areas of the UK to take part in a feasibility trial. The information we collect will help us to improve the programme and decide whether to progress to a larger trial.
What does taking part involve?
Taking part in the feasibility trial involves:
- completing questionnaires about you and your child. You can choose to complete these online, on paper versions that we post to you, or over the phone. To thank you for your time we will send you a £10 online shopping voucher after each set is completed (£30 in total).
- two face-to-face visits, in which researchers will play with your child to collect information about their strengths and difficulties. You can choose for these visits to take place in your home, or at the Oxford BabyLab. We will provide your child with a small gift to thank them for their time. If you need to travel we will reimburse the cost.
- possibly taking part in a 12-week programme with your child which aims to help toddlers to develop strong attention, regulation and thinking skills. Half of the families taking part in the study will be offered the programme, the other half will not (but can continue to access other services as usual). The programme will be assigned at random. The programme involves 12 parent-and-toddler sessions, one each week. Each session lasts an hour. The sessions are held in a local venue and we will cover the cost of your travel expenses. Find out more about the START programme.
Who can take part?
To be able to be take part in this study you must:
- Be aged 18 years or older yourself and have a child who is aged under 20 months who has a close biologically-related family member (e.g. their mum, dad, brother or sister) who is autistic or who has ADHD (either diagnosed or suspected).
- Be willing and able to attend weekly 1-hour parent-toddler sessions located in Oxford or East London, over a 3-month period.
- Be able to understand spoken English (so that you can take part in the parent-toddler sessions).
When is the trial running?
We recruiting for families to take part in the START trial now! If you are interested in taking part, please get in touch straight away so that we can check your eligibility and put you on the waiting list even if your child is not quite old enough yet.
START project 