CASCADE is committed to involving those with lived experience in its research. Over the past year, we have been significantly expanding our public involvement work, a key aim of the recent Health and Care Research Wales infrastructure funding.
In addition to our award winning care experienced young people’s research advisory group (CASCADE Voices), we are now also working with a group of parents with experience of children’s social care.
Developing new relationships and starting this new network during the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging but has also provided plenty of new opportunities. Not being able to meet in person, and with services under additional pressure, was difficult. On the other hand, as so many people are now used to online meetings, we were able to involve parents across Wales who might otherwise not have had the time to travel to Cardiff.
In December 2020, we held our very first CASCADE Parent’s Research Advisory Group. We feel very fortunate to have such an inspiring and committed group of parents to have made this possible.
Our aim is to develop a network of parents with a range of experiences of children’s social care. We will provide training in research methods and renumeration for parents to develop, support and deliver our research. What form this takes will continue to evolve but for now, we are so pleased to be able to start including these voices in our work.
Finally, we are really looking forward to meeting in person at some point in the future!
For more information or to get involved please contact CASCADE@cardiff.ac.uk