Independent evaluation of the Buttle UK ‘Children in Need’ school places project
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN50636462 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN50636462 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | v2.0; 22/01/2015 |
- Submission date
- 29/01/2015
- Registration date
- 10/02/2015
- Last edited
- 07/08/2019
- Recruitment status
- Stopped
- Overall study status
- Stopped
- Condition category
- Other
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Buttle UK is a grant-making organisation that supports individuals in a variety of ways, including providing support to overcome an immediate crisis and putting plans in place to ensure children have the best possible chance of a successful education. In March 2014 over 397,000 children in England were considered to be in need of services from their local authority in order to maintain a reasonable standard of health and development. Buttle UK would like to extend the support they offer by proactively identifying children in need of support from their local authorities, and their families, who would not routinely seek either their support or consider boarding school education. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of local authorities offering boarding school as an early intervention for children in need (as defined by the Children Act 1989) or a child who has a Child Protection Plan, compared to not offering boarding school for children in need or those who have a Child Protection Plan.
Who can participate?
Children who are, or about to go into, year 6/7 (throughout the academic year), identified as “children in need” or who have a Child Protection Plan by their local authority, and who are prepared to be followed-up by the evaluation team.
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated into one of two groups. Those in group 1 are offered a place at a boarding school. Those in group 2 follow their expected educational path, which is most likely to be attendance at a local state secondary school. Children allocated to the boarding school arms of the trial are supported by Buttle UK and social services to attend these institutions from year 7 until year 13. The support for the boarding school arms cover all immediate costs related to attending the schools. Assessments at the end of the study includes comparisons of maths scores between the children in each group of the study.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits of taking part in this study include potential improvements in academic achievement, health and wellbeing of the children/ There are no risks to taking part in the study.
Where is the study run from?
1. York Trials Unit, University of York (UK)
2. School of Education, Durham University (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
February 2014 to March 2024
Who is funding the study?
Education Endowment Foundation (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Professor David Torgerson
Contact information
Public
York Trials Unit
Department of Health Sciences
University of York
Heslington
York
YO10 5DD
United Kingdom
Study information
| Study design | Current study design as of 12/01/2016: Zelen’s randomised controlled trial Previous study design: Pragmatic randomised controlled trial |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study setting(s) | School |
| Study type | Treatment |
| Participant information sheet | Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Independent evaluation of the Buttle UK ‘Children in Need’ school places project: a Zelen’s randomised controlled trial |
| Study objectives | Current hypothesis as of 12/01/2016: What is the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of local authorities offering boarding school as an early intervention for children in need (as defined by the Children Act 1989) or children on a Child Protection Plan compared to not offering boarding school for children in need? Previous hypothesis: What is the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of local authorities offering boarding school as an early intervention for children in need (as defined by the Children Act 1989) compared to not offering boarding school for children in need? |
| Ethics approval(s) | 1. Durham University School of Education Ethics Committee, 12/11/2015, ref: 2152 2. University of York Health Sciences Research Governance Committee, 29/10/2015 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Children identified as 'children in need' by local authority or children on a Child Protection Plan |
| Intervention | 1. Intervention: The offer of a place at a state or independent boarding school. Pupils randomly allocated to the boarding school arms of the trial will be supported by Buttle UK and social services to attend these institutions from year 7 until year 13. The support for the boarding school arms will cover all immediate costs related to attending the schools. 2. Control: No offer of a place at a boarding school. Pupils randomised to the control arm will follow their expected educational path, which is most likely to be to apply to their local state secondary school as assigned through the routine state school application process; although parents/guardians may identify other educational routes for their child e.g. home school, other bursary for attending independent school. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | The difference in post-test maths scores between pupils in the boarding groups and pupils in the control group. This will be collected in July 2016, 2017 and 2018. |
| Secondary outcome measures | 1. Strengths & Difficulties Questionnaire. 2. Health-related quality of life, measured by the EQ-5D-Y questionnaire (added 12/01/2016) This will be collected in July 2016, 2017 and 2018. |
| Overall study start date | 01/02/2014 |
| Completion date | 31/03/2024 |
| Reason abandoned (if study stopped) | Participant recruitment issue |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Other |
|---|---|
| Age group | Child |
| Sex | Both |
| Target number of participants | Intervention: 150. Control: 150. (Overall target 300) |
| Key inclusion criteria | Current participant inclusion criteria as of 12/01/2016: 1. Boys and girls who are in, or about to go into, year 6/7 2. Identified as “children in need” by their local authority or on a Child Protection Plan 3. Prepared to be followed-up by the evaluation team Previous inclusion criteria: 1. Boys and girls who are in, or about to go into, year 6/7 2. Identified as “children in need” by their local authority 3. Prepared to be randomised and allow follow-up by the evaluation team |
| Key exclusion criteria | Current exclusion criteria as of 12/01/2016: 1. Boys and girls who are not in, or about to go into, year 6/7 2. Not identified as “children in need” by their local authority or not on a Child Protection Plan 3. Not prepared to be followed-up by the evaluation team Previous exclusion criteria: 1. Boys and girls who are not in, or about to go into, year 6/7 2. Not identified as “children in need” by their local authority 3. Not prepared to be randomised and followed-up by the evaluation team |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/02/2015 |
| Date of final enrolment | 31/03/2017 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- England
- United Kingdom
Study participating centres
York
YO10 5DD
United Kingdom
Durham
DH1 1TA
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
University/education
Research Innovation Office
Innovation Centre
York Science Park
York
YO10 5DD
England
United Kingdom
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/04m01e293 |
|---|
Funders
Funder type
Charity
No information available
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not provided at time of registration |
| Publication and dissemination plan | |
| IPD sharing plan |
Editorial Notes
07/08/2019: This project was stopped early in December 2016 due to recruitment challenges that could not be overcome.
25/01/2016: Added ethics reference number
Please note that as of 12/01/2016 this trial record was extensively amended. Most of the changes to this record can be found in the relevant field, under the date on which the amendment was made. The following changes have also taken place:
1. The scientific title has been changed from "Independent evaluation of the Buttle UK ‘Children in Need’ school places project: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial" to "Independent evaluation of the Buttle UK ‘Children in Need’ school places project: a Zelen’s randomised controlled trial"
2. Dates have been added to the ethics approvals
3. The target number of participants has changed from "Intervention: 37 (State Boarding), 113 (Independent Boarding). Control: 300. (Overall target: 450)" to "Intervention:150. Control: 150. (Overall target: 300)"
4. The number of participants has changed from 450 to 300
