ImPAcT: Improving the Psychosocial experiences of Adolescents with Tourette syndrome
CAN YOU HELP US WITH OUR RESEARCH?
Improving understanding of the psychosocial experiences of adolescents with Tourette syndrome
Tourettes Action has received funding from the Big Lottery Fund to carry out a programme of research with the University of Nottingham. The research aims to explore the experiences of young people living with Tourette Syndrome and to develop ways to improve support, particularly in schools. The first theme of this research (recently completed) involved interviews with young people about their day to day experiences of living with Tourette Syndrome. The second theme aims at improving support within school while the third theme is looking at factors affecting tics and tic regulation.
You can take part in either of the two themes. To be eligible to participate, you must have a formal diagnosis of Tourette’s. If you are interested in taking part in Theme II, a researcher will interview you at your school (you must be in mainstream secondary school). If you are interested in taking part in Theme III, you do not have to be in mainstream secondary school but you need to be able to travel to the University of Nottingham where you will take part in some game activities. Please also advise us if you have any other conditions such as ADHD, OCD or autism spectrum disorder.
For more information, please email me (andrew.clempson@tourettes–action.org.uk) or you can ring me on 01276 482 903. We will then send you more information about the study, a freepost envelope and a consent form for you to return if you decide to take part. For those under 16 years we will also send information and a consent form for your parent or guardian.
THANK YOU
Project updates:
2 December 2009
Tourettes Action has received a grant of £335,751 from the Big Lottery Fund to carry out a three year programme of research with Professor Georgina Jackson at the University of Nottingham. The research aims to explore the experiences of young people aged between 10-20 years who are living with Tourette Syndrome and to develop ways to improve support, particularly in schools.
This is the first study of its kind and should provide the researchers with detailed insights into the problems at school faced by young people with TS, and suggest ways of tackling them. Better understanding will allow the researchers to develop with Tourettes Action a training package for teachers, pupils and parents. In the longer term, young people with TS will benefit more from education and the transition to secondary school will be easier.
"The Big Lottery Fund grant represents a major breakthrough for Tourettes Action," commented chair Robin Paxton. "We have communicated the importance and seriousness of TS issues to a major funder. And we have convinced The Big Lottery Fund that the charity can safely be entrusted with the award and management of a very substantial multi-year funded research project."
Professor Georgina Jackson and two researchers from her group at the University of Nottingham will carry out the study, and we at Tourettes Action will manage and oversee it.
12 April 2010
The official start date for the project.
26 July 2010
Research Fellow Dr R Wadman is appointed for the second research post at the University of Nottingham.
10 September 2010
Date for the first Stakeholder meeting in Nottingham.
1 October 2010
Recruitment for theme I officially started.
6 April 2011
Report published summarising the findings from the first year of the research project
15th July 2011
Theme I recruitment closed. Open recruitment for themes II and III - please get in touch.
If you live in or near the East Midlands and would like to find out more about the study then please contact the University of Nottingham by email (impact@nottingham.ac.uk) or telephone (0115 8231463).
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Notes to editors:
Big Lottery Fund is the joint operating name of the New Opportunities Fund and the National Lottery Charities Board (which made grants under the name of the Community Fund). Big Lottery Fund, launched on 1 June 2004, is distributing half of all National Lottery good cause funding across the UK. Big Lottery Fund is building on the experience and best practice of the merged bodies to simplify funding in those areas where they overlap and to ensure Lottery funding provides the best possible value for money. To date, the two merged Funds have committed more than £5 billion to initiatives with national, regional and local partners from the public, voluntary, charity and private sectors, with a particular focus on disadvantage.