Below are the information sheet and consent form for the study. To participate, please provide your consent by entering your name at the end of the form.
Information sheet
Who is conducting the research?
Chief investigator: Dr Neil Harris (n.harris@griffith.edu.au)
Co-Investigator: Dr Lisa Vincze (l.vincze@griffith.edu.au)
Student Researcher: Lieke Vorage (l.vorage@griffith.edu.au)
Why is the research being conducted?
Early childhood obesity is a major public health issue. Research has shown that habits formed in early childhood persist into adulthood and that reversing obesity established before entering school is challenging. Therefore, we need to encourage healthy eating and physical activity in early childhood. In Australia, 100,000 children are enrolled in Family Day Care, offering an interesting setting to encourage healthy behaviours. This research project, part of a doctoral study, aims to discuss strategies for promoting healthy eating and physical activity within Australian Family Day Care services.
What will you be asked to do
You are being asked to participate in a 1.5-hour focus group. In this session, you will be presented with ideas to improve healthy eating and physical activity within Australian Family Day Care services. You will share your opinions on these ideas. Upon completion you will receive a $50-dollar digital Gift-Mastercard as a thank you for your time. Audio and video recording will be administered to ensure all your insights are being captured during the session, while maintaining your confidentiality. The audio-video recordings will be destroyed after analysis and will not be used in any outputs or publications.
Who can take part?
If you are a parent of a child or children enrolled in an Australian Family Day Care service, we invite you to participate in this research project.
The expected benefits of the research
This research aims to discuss potential strategies to create an environment within Australian Family Day Care services where every child eats healthy and gets enough exercise. This information can be used to develop interventions that can help Family Day Care educators create a healthy nutrition and physical activity environment. It is intended that the findings will be reported to Griffith University and may also be disseminated via journal articles and/or conference presentations for the benefit of the wider community.
Risk & confidentiality
There are no foreseeable risks associated with participation in this research. The data that Griffith University collects will be de-identified, and you will not be personally identifiable in any publication or reporting. De-identified data will be stored electronically at Griffith University Research Storage Platform and only the authorised research team will have access. All audio and video recordings will be erased after transcription, as per Griffith University protocol. Notes will be retained in a password protected electronic file at Griffith University. Following completion of the research, the data will be stored for a minimum of 5 years according to Griffith University Research Policy.
Voluntary Participation
Participation is entirely voluntary, and consent is given prior to the commencement of the focus group. Following the focus group, withdrawal of consent and responses will not be possible, due to the difficult nature of identifying individual contributions in discussions. However, a participant may decline to respond to questions or withdraw from the session. Any publications or materials produced will ensure no de-identified information is disclosed.
Privacy
The conduct of this research involves the collection, access, storage and/or use of your identified personal information. The information collected is confidential and will not be disclosed to third parties without your consent, except to meet government, legal or other regulatory authority requirements. A de-identified copy of this data may be used for other research purposes, including publishing openly (e.g. in an open access repository). However, your anonymity will at all times be safeguarded. For further information consult the University's Privacy Plan at http://www.griffith.edu.au/about-griffith/plans-publications/griffith-university-privacy-plan or telephone (07) 3735 4375.
Questions / Further Information
If you do have any further questions, or if you would like to receive the results of this study, please contact Lieke Vorage via email: l.vorage@griffith.edu.au.
Ethical conduct of this research
Griffith University conducts research in accordance with the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research. The ethics reference number for this project is: 2023/510. If you have any concerns or complaints about the ethical conduct of the research, please contact the Manager, Research Ethics to 07 3735 4375 or research-ethics@griffith.edu.au.
Consent form
By entering my name below, I confirm that I have read and understood the information sheet and in particular:
1. I understand I am participating in an online focus group.
2. The research project and the time involved have been explained to me by the research team and information has also been provided in the Information Sheet;
3. I have read the Information Sheet; I have been given the opportunity to discuss the information and my involvement in the project with the researchers;
4. I understand that if I have any additional questions, I can ask the research team;
5. I understand that my participation in this research is voluntary.
6. I understand that following the focus group, withdrawal of consent and responses will not be possible, due to the difficult nature of identifying individual contributions in discussions. However, I may decline to respond to questions or withdraw from the session at any time, without explanation. If I withdraw from the research, it will not affect the research, other activities or relationships with Griffith University or any external organisation;
7. I understand that my involvement in the research is strictly confidential and that no information about myself will be used in any way that reveals my identity;
8. I understand that I can contact the Manager, Research Ethics, at Griffith University Human Research Ethics Committee on 3735 4375 (or research-ethics@griffith.edu.au) if I have any concerns about the ethical conduct of the project;
9. I understand that written, video, audio and/or photographic recordings are being made as part of the study.
By providing my name, I consent to participate in the focus group:
