Research: Street-connected children with communication disabilities
Understanding the experiences, attitudes, beliefs and wishes of the children and their carers at home and in school in Kenya.
Summary
Research summary
- January 2016 to December 2019
Part of the Leap from the Street: Learning, Education and Protecting project, the research aimed to understand the experiences, attitudes, beliefs and wishes of street-connected children with communication disabilities in western Kenya, and their main carers at home and in school.
Researchers from Manchester Met, LEAP and Yellow House Kenya, worked together to design the research and then carry out interviews, focus groups and interactive arts-based activities with three groups:
- street-connected children with communication disabilities aged six to 15
- the children’s primary caregivers
- learning support assistants working with the children
Among the insights gained from the participants were:
- street-connected children with communication disability and their caregivers have additional needs
- the impact of communication disability on children and caregivers can be reduced by promoting positive attitudes in others, especially peers
- positive attitudes might be best promoted through experience and familiarity, rather than training
- people need to know how to adapt their communication to the child
- emotional wellbeing and trusted relationships are important - adapted communication and increased understanding of communication disability will improve both
- caregivers and learning support assistants think they could do more to help the children themselves, with training and the support of others
The project helped to build local research capacity. Prof Marshall continues to work with Yellowhouse to support its work on improving services for people with a communication disability.
LEAP project site
Outcomes
Research outputs
Academic papers
- Taylor, C, Sotiropoulou Drosopoulou, C, Rochus, D and Marshall, J (2019) Street-connected children with communication disabilities and their caregivers in Western Kenya: experiences, beliefs and needs Disabil Rehabilpp.1-11
Presentation
- Marshall, J (2018) Collaboration to develop services for people with communication disabilities. Keynote presentation at the East African Communication Disability Conference, Kisumu, Kenya
Team
Research team
Lead researchers
- Prof Julie Marshall
- Dr Carol Taylor
Co-researchers
- Dr Christina Sotiropoulou Drosopoulou
- David Rochus, Yellow House Kenya
- Speech and language therapists, parent support officers, child protection officers and teachers from the LEAP project including:
- Jesse Gatoto Mbote
- Gregory Masayi Nanzayi
- Julyne Olero
- Florence Omolo
- Aneliese Ambrose
- Dorine Oluoch
- Dickson Omanje
- Okumu W. Francise
- Mark Owino
- Mary Grace Otieno
- Odhyambo Victorine Orondo
- Paul Woniaye
- Christine Etakwa
- Frida Okombo
- Rachael Gibson, Yellow House
- Prof Edwards Kochung
- Connie Wu
- Glynnis Cummings-John
Collaborating with:
- Chance for Childhood
- Kisumu Urban Apostolate Programmes (KUAP), Kenya
- Yellow House, Kenya
- Maseno University, Kenya
Funding
With funding from
Comic Relief: Chance for Childhood
Contacts
Contact us
For general enquiries about the Communication Disability group, you can contact research lead Prof Janice Murray.
Project enquiries
For enquiries about this project, contact Prof Julie Marshall.
