Opinions Stories About Engagement Reports U-Matter ParentText -18 ParentText 18+ Join Now
Join U-Report, Your voice matters.
ParentText 18+

ParentText Messages Information Sheet and Survey Information Sheet for Parents/Caregivers for Jamaica



You are invited to take part in a study of “ParentText” conducted by the University of Oxford with UNICEF Jamaica and their U-Report Jamaica social messaging service. We are doing this study to learn about what it is like to receive ParentText messages over WhatsApp. Before you decide whether you would like to be part of this study, it is important for you to understand why we are doing this research.


These messages were developed by Parenting for Lifelong Health (PLH) with the WHO and UNICEF. The messages and multimedia content were then locally adapted by Parenting Partners Caribbean (PPC) and reviewed by the National Parenting Support Commission (NPSC). ParentText is a text messaging service for parents and caregivers of children aged 18+. It is delivered through WhatsApp.


You will receive daily positive parenting messages in the form of texts, audios, videos, comics, and gifs over 5 weeks, or more depending on the frequency selected by parents. ParentText messages focus on different topics, including building a positive relationship with your child, using praise, setting daily routines, and reducing stress for parents and caregivers. Additional content includes support for parents of children living with disabilities, child development, online child safety, talking about COVID-19 with children, family budgeting, family harmony, and helping children with schoolwork. ParentText also includes content on sexual violence prevention as well as partner relationships to prevent family violence.


WHO CAN TAKE PART?

To take part in the study, you need to be over 18 years old and taking care of a child between the ages of 0 and 17. You must also agree to take part in the study, which you do by sending a reply YES to participate.


DO I HAVE TO TAKE PART?

You do not need to take part in this study. If you do not want to participate, nothing bad will happen to you or your family. You will still receive the text messages if you choose not to answer any questions. You can stop receiving messages at any point by typing STOP MESSAGES.


WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I TAKE PART?

Every week we will ask you some questions on how you have found the messages and your experiences with parenting. You can skip questions you do not want to answer. You can stop participating at any time for any (or no) reason.


ARE THERE ANY RISKS OF TAKING PART?

We do not expect any risks in taking part in this study. If you become upset when answering the questions, you can find local referrals for additional support by typing INFO. Your involvement will be used to make ParentText better to help parents/caregivers.


WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE INFORMATION I PROVIDE?

Everything that you share with us will be completely anonymous. No one will know what information you provide. Only data collected from the surveys about your relationships and experiences with other adults will be completed on an external online site so no one can see your responses on your phone. The anonymous research data that we collect will be stored for an unlimited amount of time and may be shared with other researchers in the future so that we can continue to learn about how chatbots (programme messaging system) can support your family and others.


WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE RESULTS OF THE RESEARCH?

So that others may learn from this study, we plan on sharing results in academic journals, at conferences, and in policy briefs for governments and other agencies. Your name and any personal information about you and your family will NOT appear in any data, publications, or reports.

WHO HAS REVIEWED THE STUDY? This study has received ethical approval from the University of Oxford Central University Research Ethics Committee (R69569/RE003).


DATA PROTECTION

The University of Oxford is responsible for ensuring the safe and proper use of any personal information you provide, only for research purposes.


QUESTIONS

Please let us know if you have any question or want to raise a concern, please feel free to contact Dr Jamie Lachman (jamie.lachman@spi.ox.ac.uk) who is leading this research. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s rights as a study participant, you can contact Dr Charlene Coore Desai (ccoore@unicef.org), Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Jamaica.

See by the numbers how we are engaging youth voices for positive social change.
EXPLORE ENGAGEMENT
UNICEF logo