Study 2:
Parent Participation Sheet
(Click top right to choose language)

Research project title: Research Roadshow  (Discussion groups)
Researcher details: Debi Graham
Date: 17 June 2024

What is this sheet for? 

I’m inviting you to take part in this research project. Before you decide, it’s important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it involves. Please take time to read the following information carefully and discuss it with others if you’d like to. Please ask me if there’s anything that is not clear or if you’d like more information. Please take time to decide whether or not you want to take part. It’s totally up to you!

You’ll be given this information sheet to keep. Thank you very much for taking the time to read this.

(Wherever the words “parents” or “parental” are used, these include the many people who are caring for babies and toddlers, including biological parents, adopters, foster carers, single parents, kinship carers, same-sex couples, etc.)

What is the research project about?

I will be visiting up to 10 parent-baby groups either in-person or online as the “FirstMusic Research Roadshow”. In a relaxed and informal discussion, groups will be asked 3 questions: What do you do when your baby won’t stop crying easily? What would you say if I told you that the World Health Organisation recommends music (in all its forms) to support parental mental wellbeing in pregnancy, labour, childbirth, and the early years? What musical support, if any, do you want or need to support your mental wellbeing during persistent infant crying at home? 

Based on parents’ thoughts, ideas, and suggestions from these groups, I will then design an online survey to reach a bigger group of parents. Volunteer parents from the roadshow will test the survey and changes will be made but this is completely optional. Finally, the survey will be circulated to up to 300 additional parents to see if the ideas generated in the roadshow are shared by a wider parent population. The results will be used to help design open-access music resources to support parental mental wellbeing during baby crying.

Who is taking part? 

I’m looking for up to 30 parents to take part in the roadshow groups who have babies and children aged 3 years and under. Parents will be attending parent-baby groups or similar community-based events with their children and be interested in the research. Partners who attend the baby group are also welcome to join the study and will be given their own information sheet and consent form to sign. 

No musical skill, experience, or training is needed at all and it is hoped that a wide variety of parents will volunteer to take part in the roadshow (including an online group). If English isn’t the first language of parents in a particular group, interpreters (and AI translation tools) will be available wherever possible to support parents to be included in this study. 

Do I have to take part?

No, not at all.  It’s up to you to decide if you want to take part in my project or not. If you don’t want to take part, or you change your mind about taking part, having agreed to, you can stop and you won’t be affected in any way. 

If you do decide to take part, you’ll be given this information sheet to keep and asked to sign a consent form. You’re still free to withdraw at any time until a week after the roadshow without giving any reason. You can withdraw either by physically leaving and/or by withdrawing consent (please tell me or text/email).  Again, you won’t be affected in any way. 

What will I be asked to do?

You’ll be invited to stay after your normal parent-baby group activity for around an hour. Parents (and little ones) will be part of a relaxed and informal discussion around the 3 questions in the project section above. There will be toys and soft play for little ones, and light (baby-safe) refreshments for parents.  

I’m looking for parents who are happy to be audio-recorded (sound only not video).  Your name and your baby’s name will be changed (you can help me choose different names!). The recordings will then be typed up in full and the audio recordings securely destroyed. At the groups, there will be paper, pens, and pastels, and post-it notes available so that parents can draw, use words or pictures to express things that are hard to put into words.  No art skills are needed at all and you don’t have to do any drawings if you don’t want to, it’s just another way that some parents might like to share their thoughts and feelings with me.  I’ll ask you about any drawings you make, and this will be recorded and typed up.

Based on what parents tell me at the discussion groups, I will design an online survey to send to a larger group of parents (up to 300 parents) to find out their views. Parents from the discussion groups may volunteer to test and change the survey before it gets sent out, but this is completely optional.

Could me or my baby be harmed by taking part in this study?

There is a low risk to you and your baby from taking part in this study.  However, this research concerns a sensitive topic and it’s possible that you might feel upset during the roadshow.  Coping with a crying baby can be very difficult for parents.  However, I have lots of experience working with parents, am very sensitive and kind, and will be a good listener.  We can also check how you might get the support you need (for example, through your health visitor or GP).  At the bottom of this sheet are resources you can access at any time for online support with baby crying. 

Will I get any benefits from taking part? 
I hope that you’ll enjoy taking part and sharing your thoughts, ideas, and views in a relaxed and supportive environment. Also, what you tell me will be used to help design musical support for other parents experiencing baby crying. Parents helping parents! In recognition of parents’ contributions, a £10 voucher and goodybag/soft toy will be given to each family after the roadshow groups.

What will happen if the research has to stop for any reason?

If the research has to stop early for an unforeseen reason, I will let you know as soon as possible.  Any parent information and participant data will be securely destroyed. 

Will the interviews be confidential?

Yes. All information that is collected about you and your little one(s), for the purposes of the research, will be kept strictly confidential. If I am worried about you or your baby/child, I will speak with you confidentially to ask if I can help signpost you to the relevant help and support.

It is also a legal requirement that I tell someone if you disclose a risk of immediate harm to you or others, or money laundering, or acts of terrorism. This would be the person responsible for safeguarding in your parent-baby group.   

Will my name be changed in anything written about me?

Yes.  Your real name will not be used in anything written about you and your baby/child. Instead, you can help me choose different names to use.  I will also be careful to change any other identifying information that might reveal who you are or where you live.

How will my personal information and data be kept safe?

Information provided by you in this study will be handled in a strictly confidential manner under the policies and procedures of the Royal College of Music.  Full details of the Data Use and Retention Protocol can be found HERE (the full web address is: https://www.rcm.ac.uk/research/about/ importantdocuments/)

Your personal data and any information that you provide for the purposes of the research will be stored securely in a password- protected encrypted vault on my laptop. Once the study has finished your data will be stored on a password-protected encrypted hard-drive locked in a metal filing cabinet for 10 years. At the end of this period it will be securely destroyed. 

What will the information and data I provide be used for?

This research forms part of a doctor of philosophy (PhD) study at the Royal College of Music. I’ll write a special summary to give to the parents in the study (Parent Study Summary).  The research will also be written up as a PhD thesis chapter, shared in presentations, conference posters and abstracts, and journal articles and/or books. 

The final thesis will be shared internally at the RCM and will normally be available through RCM Research Online which is open access (this means that it is freely available online). Your data will also help me design musical help and resources for parents going forwards.   

Can I raise concerns about the project or make a complaint?

Yes.  If you have any concerns or worries, please raise these with me first and I’ll do my best to answer them.  If you have any serious concerns or would like to make a complaint, please contact my Directing Supervisor, Rosie Perkins:

Professor Rosie Perkins, Centre for Performance Science, Royal College of Music London. Contact: rosie.perkins@rcm.ac.uk

Has this research been reviewed and approved?
Yes.  The Royal College of Music Research Ethics Committee has reviewed this project and granted ethical approval for it to be carried out (approved on 20.5.25, certificate number: 240501).  The researcher is fully police-checked and has a current enhanced check DBS certificate (certificate number 001806455345).

Thank you very much for taking the time to read this Participant Information Sheet and for considering taking part in this research project. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Debi Graham (PhD Researcher), Centre for Performance Science, Royal College of Music London

 

Contact: debi.graham@rcm.ac.uk OR debi@firstmusic.uk

Research project supervised by Professor Rosie Perkins, Centre for Performance Science, Royal College of Music London
Contact: rosie.perkins@rcm.ac.uk

CONTACTS and WEBPAGES offering support for parents with crying babies 

Your health visitor and doctor are there to help with this common issue.  Please contact them directly for the support and help you need especially if you think that something might be wrong.  Additional sources of support and information are below:

NHS webpages
The NHS provide webpages with information for parents about soothing crying babies and babies diagnosed with colic.  These can be found at:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/caring-for-a-newborn/soothing-a-crying-baby/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/colic/

CRY-sis 
Cry-sis is a helpline providing help for parents with crying or sleepless babies.  
Lines are open seven days a week, 9am-10pm. 
Phone: 08451 228 669 (check for charges which might apply)
Please find more information at: www.cry-sis.org.uk

I.C.O.N. website
These letters stand for:
I: Infant crying is normal
C: Comforting methods can help
O: It’s OK to walk away
N: Never, ever shake a baby

Advice and resources for parents can be found at:
https://iconcope.org/icon-babies-cry-you-can-cope-advice-and-support/

P.U.R.P.L.E. Crying website
Web-based advice and resources for parents and professionals developed in the US. The letters stand for:
P: Peak of crying
U: Unexpected
R: Resists soothing
P: Pain-like face
L: Long-lasting
E: Evening

Information and resources can be found at: http://www.purplecrying.info/

Baby Buddy app
Developed by UK charity Best Beginnings, the free Baby Buddy app is for parents throughout pregnancy and parenting in a day-by-day format.  There are featured videos about baby crying on the app.  Information about the app including how to download it to your smartphone can be found at: https://www.babybuddyapp.co.uk/

What were we thinking?
A free app for parents developed in Australia.  Covers all kinds of helpful topics including baby crying.  Further information about how to download the app is here: 

https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/what-were-we-thinking

Please note that these details were correct at the time of writing but may have changed or been removed.  They are intended to help and direct  parents to some of the support available online.  They are not a substitute for the professional support and advice available directly from health visitors and GPs.