Research Ethics Statement: ‘Partners in Neurodiversity Research & Insight’
The Sensory-Space has been developed and is operated by Courage Child Protection and Empowerment (NPC. 2017/422875/08; NPO. 203-137; BPO. 930076967). It was created in answer to the need for a safe, fun, and engaging environment that is beneficial to the children who attend school, therapy, sporting or creative classes at the Children's Memorial Institute (CMI). The Institute houses nearly 30 NGOs who offer services and therapeutic interventions in areas spanning child protection, child diversity, child rights and empowerment.
Beyond the CMI, the Sensory-Space caters to all children who are either diagnosed or identify as neurodiverse. This can include children who have learning disabilities, developmental delays, ADHD or are on the Autism Spectrum. Given the comorbidity of many mental health challenges and disabilities, children who struggle with any mental, physical, or social disorders or disabilities are also considered to be part of our community. We also cater to children who have experienced trauma or who are vulnerable and find themselves within the child protection system, such as living in a children’s home, foster care, or receiving support or therapy in this regard.
Research has shown that environments that help children to explore their sensory systems have a remarkable impact on a child's sense of wellbeing and ability to engage positively with their world. This is especially relevant to children who are struggling with physical, mental, learning or social disabilities or difficulties. However, all children benefit from environments that help them to integrate and enhance their sensory abilities.
Beyond the benefits that children experience first-hand from interacting with our sensory environment, the Sensory-Space is a place of learning and insight. We are interested in how children and adults engage with the various sensory installations, tools and toys, within the Sensory-Space and what impact they have on them. Through participant observation we would like to understand how we can enhance neurodiverse children and adult’s experience of their world through sensory interaction and engagement.
As part of our support team we have a number of students who are wanting to explore this sensory interaction. These students span disciplines ranging from occupational therapy, to development studies, psychology and anthropology, amongst others. Although they will be observing children and adults in the Sensory-Space and how they interact with the environment, they will not be taking any photographs or videos and will treat all observations with the strictest levels of confidentiality. No child will be identified in their research and any identifiable characteristics, beyond their age and disability, will not be referenced. As there are many children attending the Sensory-Space, we are confident that their anonymity will be ensured. All students will sign a confidentiality agreement with the Sensory-Space to this effect.
To ensure informed consent at the Sensory-Space, we advise all children, parents, carers, teachers and therapists of our research partnership when bookings are made, a pre-requisite to visiting the space. We also have a pictures based information and assent sheet at the entrance to the Sensory-Space, which all visitors are introduced to on arrival, along with our public indemnity statement. If any parent or child requests that they or their child are not to be observed from a research perspective, we will ensure that their wishes are respected.
Should any student wish to interview teachers, therapists, parents or carers outside of the Sensory-Space, they will need to gain permission in writing from the Sensory-Space before approaching these individuals. They will also need to provide a detailed research information sheet, their broad discussion guide, and their informed consent procedure, including their consent and assent forms. The Sensory-Space will approach these individuals as a third party to assess their willingness to take part in the research, prior to the student contacting or approaching them. In line with the Sensory-Space’s policy on anonymity, all students must ensure that all participants cannot be identified in either their research notes or their final research reports or dissertations. This should be ensured through the use of pseudonyms and making sure that no identifiable information about themselves or any institution that they may belong to, is collected beyond their role as a teacher, therapist, parent or carer to a child who has attended the Sensory-Space. As with the children, there are a number of teachers, therapists, parents and carers attending the Sensory-Space, and we are therefore confident that their anonymity can be ensured. The Sensory-Space, and specifically Dr Deirdre Blackie, must be provided with the final research report or dissertation before submission, to ensure that no child, adult, parent, carer, teacher or therapist can be identified in the research materials.
In the spirit of research collaboration we commit to act in accordance with the highest standards of scholarly integrity and accountability. We are accountable to our peers for our research interactions and products, and we commit to not undertaking clandestine research. We will respect each other’s intellectual property (in the form of research insights, statements and quotes) and properly acknowledge all sources of ideas and materials. Where research materials are to be shared, care will be taken to ensure that we do not breach conditions of anonymity or privacy. All researchers will ensure that they act with the utmost professionalism, and that they do not jeopardise other and/or future research at the Sensory-Space or within the CMI. In the event of conflicts of interest, our primary responsibility is to our Sensory-Space customers, in the form of the children, adults, parents, carers, teachers and therapists who visit us.
The purpose of all research emanating from observations within the Sensory-Space, will be to enhance the children and adult’s experience at this environment, and to share our sensory learnings with our broader CMI and neurodiversity community. We will make all of our learnings and insights available through quarterly insight sharing sessions, our ‘Sensory-Seeker’ e-zine, and through making all relevant research publications and dissertations available online through our website (www.sensory-space.com). We see the Sensory-Space as a research partnership, where we are all working together to improve neurodiverse children and adult’s lives, through enhancing their sensory worlds and creating innovative support tools to help them engage with and integrate their sensory systems.
Our primary motivation for the development, operation of, and research within the Sensory-Space, is to support and advocate for neurodiverse individuals. We commit to ensuring that their voices are heard, and that we strive together for their inclusion, equality and equity within society.
Beyond the CMI, the Sensory-Space caters to all children who are either diagnosed or identify as neurodiverse. This can include children who have learning disabilities, developmental delays, ADHD or are on the Autism Spectrum. Given the comorbidity of many mental health challenges and disabilities, children who struggle with any mental, physical, or social disorders or disabilities are also considered to be part of our community. We also cater to children who have experienced trauma or who are vulnerable and find themselves within the child protection system, such as living in a children’s home, foster care, or receiving support or therapy in this regard.
Research has shown that environments that help children to explore their sensory systems have a remarkable impact on a child's sense of wellbeing and ability to engage positively with their world. This is especially relevant to children who are struggling with physical, mental, learning or social disabilities or difficulties. However, all children benefit from environments that help them to integrate and enhance their sensory abilities.
Beyond the benefits that children experience first-hand from interacting with our sensory environment, the Sensory-Space is a place of learning and insight. We are interested in how children and adults engage with the various sensory installations, tools and toys, within the Sensory-Space and what impact they have on them. Through participant observation we would like to understand how we can enhance neurodiverse children and adult’s experience of their world through sensory interaction and engagement.
As part of our support team we have a number of students who are wanting to explore this sensory interaction. These students span disciplines ranging from occupational therapy, to development studies, psychology and anthropology, amongst others. Although they will be observing children and adults in the Sensory-Space and how they interact with the environment, they will not be taking any photographs or videos and will treat all observations with the strictest levels of confidentiality. No child will be identified in their research and any identifiable characteristics, beyond their age and disability, will not be referenced. As there are many children attending the Sensory-Space, we are confident that their anonymity will be ensured. All students will sign a confidentiality agreement with the Sensory-Space to this effect.
To ensure informed consent at the Sensory-Space, we advise all children, parents, carers, teachers and therapists of our research partnership when bookings are made, a pre-requisite to visiting the space. We also have a pictures based information and assent sheet at the entrance to the Sensory-Space, which all visitors are introduced to on arrival, along with our public indemnity statement. If any parent or child requests that they or their child are not to be observed from a research perspective, we will ensure that their wishes are respected.
Should any student wish to interview teachers, therapists, parents or carers outside of the Sensory-Space, they will need to gain permission in writing from the Sensory-Space before approaching these individuals. They will also need to provide a detailed research information sheet, their broad discussion guide, and their informed consent procedure, including their consent and assent forms. The Sensory-Space will approach these individuals as a third party to assess their willingness to take part in the research, prior to the student contacting or approaching them. In line with the Sensory-Space’s policy on anonymity, all students must ensure that all participants cannot be identified in either their research notes or their final research reports or dissertations. This should be ensured through the use of pseudonyms and making sure that no identifiable information about themselves or any institution that they may belong to, is collected beyond their role as a teacher, therapist, parent or carer to a child who has attended the Sensory-Space. As with the children, there are a number of teachers, therapists, parents and carers attending the Sensory-Space, and we are therefore confident that their anonymity can be ensured. The Sensory-Space, and specifically Dr Deirdre Blackie, must be provided with the final research report or dissertation before submission, to ensure that no child, adult, parent, carer, teacher or therapist can be identified in the research materials.
In the spirit of research collaboration we commit to act in accordance with the highest standards of scholarly integrity and accountability. We are accountable to our peers for our research interactions and products, and we commit to not undertaking clandestine research. We will respect each other’s intellectual property (in the form of research insights, statements and quotes) and properly acknowledge all sources of ideas and materials. Where research materials are to be shared, care will be taken to ensure that we do not breach conditions of anonymity or privacy. All researchers will ensure that they act with the utmost professionalism, and that they do not jeopardise other and/or future research at the Sensory-Space or within the CMI. In the event of conflicts of interest, our primary responsibility is to our Sensory-Space customers, in the form of the children, adults, parents, carers, teachers and therapists who visit us.
The purpose of all research emanating from observations within the Sensory-Space, will be to enhance the children and adult’s experience at this environment, and to share our sensory learnings with our broader CMI and neurodiversity community. We will make all of our learnings and insights available through quarterly insight sharing sessions, our ‘Sensory-Seeker’ e-zine, and through making all relevant research publications and dissertations available online through our website (www.sensory-space.com). We see the Sensory-Space as a research partnership, where we are all working together to improve neurodiverse children and adult’s lives, through enhancing their sensory worlds and creating innovative support tools to help them engage with and integrate their sensory systems.
Our primary motivation for the development, operation of, and research within the Sensory-Space, is to support and advocate for neurodiverse individuals. We commit to ensuring that their voices are heard, and that we strive together for their inclusion, equality and equity within society.
Courage/Sensory-Space POPIA Statement
Protecting your Personal Information is a constitutional requirement (POPI Act), and an important social practice, which we as Courage and the Sensory-Space commits to. In line with the conditions in the Protection of Personal Information Act, 4 of 3013 (the Act), The Sensory-Space, operated by Courage Child Protection & Empowerment:
For any further information with respect to our privacy policy, please contact,
Dr Dee Blackie on [email protected] or [email protected]
- Accepts joint responsibility and accountability with you to responsibly manage and protect your Personal Information when providing services to you.
- Undertakes to receive, only from you, and process the Personal Information that is necessary for the purpose to assist you with your required services, conclude the necessarily related agreements and consider the legitimate legal interests of everyone concerned, as required by the Act and to respect your right to withdraw your consent for the processing of your Personal Information at any time.
- Undertakes to only use your Personal Information for the purpose required to assist you or provide services to you.
- Undertakes not to share or further process your Personal Information with anyone if not required for assisting you with your services or by the law.
- Undertakes to be open and transparent and notify you as and when required by law regarding why and how your Personal Information needs to be collected.
- Undertakes to safeguard and protect your Personal Information in our possession.
- Undertakes to freely confirm what Personal Information we have, to update and correct the Personal Information, and to keep it for no longer than legally required.
- To share with and provide relevant services to you as requested, and to maintain our relationship.
- To respond to your queries.
- To confirm that you are an authorised representative (as in the case of support staff).
- For operational purposes required to assist you with your engagement with the Sensory-Space.
- For record-keeping purposes.
- In connection with possible requirements by the Information Regulator or other Government agencies allowed by law, legal proceedings, or court rulings.
For any further information with respect to our privacy policy, please contact,
Dr Dee Blackie on [email protected] or [email protected]
