As noted above, phase 1of the study was intended to gain a general insight into the key people, processes and practices involved in shaping the PESS experiences of LACYP. It was split into two parts. The first part of the data were collected via online surveys, disseminated to key local authority professionals in England. Virtual Schools, specifically Virtual School Headteachers (VSH) were the target audience for this due to their statutory role in all local authorities in England, whereby they have the responsibility for monitoring and promoting the education of children in care within their authority21. The choice to
undertake a survey as the initial form of data collection was because it could generate a wide scope of information on a relatively unchartered landscape. It also provided an opportunity to recruit the participants for follow-up interviews, as suggested during the scoping interviews. Bryman (2016) suggests that the extensive growth in using online surveys for social research can be attributed to their low cost, tendency to generate fewer unanswered questions, and capacity to elicit better responses to open questions. It is argued that they are also more cost-effective and less time-consuming to distribute than postal questionnaires (Cohen et al., 2011; Toepoel, 2017). Typically, online surveys receive a lower response rate than postal questionnaires (Bryman, 2016), yet for this study there was fear that postal surveys could easily be lost when sending them to generic local authority postal addresses. Having the participants direct email addresses meant there was less chance of this happening, therefore increasing the chances of securing a higher response rate. Finding
the email addresses of all VSHs was not without its difficulties, since these are not readily available on councils’ webpages. Nonetheless, a list of email addresses for VSHs in England was obtained. Although it was somewhat dated and held the risk of including inaccurate information, it was feared that sending it to generic local authority email addresses may not necessarily reach the intended participants.
The survey itself included demographic questions concerning the participant and their role within the local authority, as well as closed and open questions around key areas of policy and practice relating to LACYP’s education and responsibility towards sport/physical activity within this (see Appendix 3 for the survey). It was sent electronically to all VSHs in England, totalling 153. Fifty-seven of the emails failed to reach the respondent, perhaps due to the contacts no longer being in post, so we can assume the survey reached 96 VSHs. The survey received a total of 46 responses, just under a 50% response rate from those whom it reached, or 30% from all the VSHs in England. However, six of those were not completed fully and so were not included. This meant 40 surveys could be used for analysis. It is important to note at this point, that despite the survey being sent directly to VSHs, not all of the respondents were in this role. The survey was also completed by those working immediately alongside the VSH within the local authority (Virtual School) context22; for example, the assistant VSH or the lead teacher for children in care. The data
generated through the survey consisted of open and closed responses to questions, which were collated, sorted and analysed through a series of coding (outlined in section 4.9) to facilitate the identification of key issues and concepts.
The second part of this initial phase of research built upon the first, using semi-structured interviews with the VSHs and other local authority contacts (e.g. lead teachers for children in care, assistant VSH) who completed the online survey. The aim was to build upon the answers given in the survey and gather further information to help understand what LACYP’s experiences of PESS may look like from a professional perspective. The semi- structured nature of the interviews also allowed participants some freedom to highlight issues of personal importance (Robson, 2002). All survey respondents who indicated they were willing to be contacted for interview were invited to participate and a total of 10
22 The ‘Virtual School’ is part of a local authority, and therefore at times the terms will be used
telephone interviews were conducted, each lasting between 30 and 60 minutes. The questions asked during these interviews expanded on those within the online survey. Initial demographic questions (such as their role and the number of LACYP within their local authority) were followed by a range of open ended questions based upon their views and involvement with PESS for LACYP and with the education of care-experienced youth more broadly (see Appendix 4 for the interview schedule).
The participants were given a choice of how they wished to be interviewed, either face-to- face, via Skype or over the telephone. The reason for this was that it was hoped that by giving the respondents some control over the interview it would elicit a higher response rate. All participants chose to be interviewed via telephone. Telephone interviewing has been identified as useful way of collecting data with busy people (Miller, 1995). Whilst this method can present difficulties (e.g. with rapport building and not being able to take into consideration body language and facial expressions), it has the advantage of being able to be conducted at various times and locations convenient for the respondent. The cost of conducting these interviews was also minimal as it eliminated any travel costs which would have been incurred due to the geographical spread of respondents across the country (Cohen et al., 2011). The 10 participants interviewed consisted of local authority professionals23 from six out of the nine regions across England (see Appendix 6 for an
illustrated map). The following table (Table 2) provides details of these interview participants24, including their role and the approximate number of children and young
people looked-after by their local authority (at the time of interview).
23 The term ‘local authority professionals’ is used during the thesis to indicate those participants who took
part in phase 1 of the data collection. Where specific extracts of data are presented during the forthcoming chapters, individual roles will be referred to.
Table 2: Local authority interview participants25
Name Job Title Local Authority Region of England Approximate No. of LACYP in Local Authority Debbie
Howell VSH Talborough North East 313 Gareth
Houlston
Education Development
Officer Comptonshire South West
150
(of school age 4 – 18) Heather
Roberts VSH Whippinghamshire Yorkshire and the Humber 329 John Davis VSH Yevendale South East 103 Laura White
Teacher Advisor for the Corporate
Parenting and Education Team
West Calbourne Midlands West 778 Liam McKay Education Development Officer Eastonshire West Midlands 630 Lisa Phillips Assistant VSH Millfolk Yorkshire and the Humber 241
Robert
Knight VSH Bucktonshire Yorkshire and the Humber 450 Sandra Scott VSH Wellhampton East Midlands 850
Sarah
Kingston VSH Bembridgeshire South East 600
All interviews were recorded using a Dictaphone and were transcribed verbatim. I transcribed all interviews myself to allow for a deeper understanding of the data, since it has been argued that the process of transcription can raise certain analytical questions (Roulston, 2014). The process of analysis is outlined in more detailed in section 4.9.