The COVISION Study

Children as Innovators - Harnessing the Creative Expertise of Children to Address Practical and Psycho-social Challenges of COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction

The Co-VISION project aims to learn more about how children have creatively found ways to manage the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This project is Supported by the Health Research Board as part of a coordinated COVID-19 Rapid Response Research, Development and Innovation programme, to tackle COVID-19 in collaboration with the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland.

The aim of this project is to increase the understanding of home and community-based strategies that contribute to children’s capacity to adjust to societal changes, both during and after pandemics (particularly strategies addressing their sense of safety, calm, hope, self and community efficacy, connectedness). Moreover, the project aims to identify ways in which children’s actions contribute to the capacity of others to adjust to the changes arising from the pandemic. The potential for these activities to influence and contribute to broader social mobilisation will be examined and promoted.

COVISION Project website for updates, webinar videos, event etc: (opens in a new window)www.covision.ie

Project Outline

The aim of this project is to increase the understanding of home and community-based strategies that contribute to children’s capacity to adjust to societal changes, both during and after pandemics (particularly strategies addressing their sense of safety, calm, hope, self and community efficacy, connectedness). Moreover, the project aims to identify ways in which children’s actions contribute to the capacity of others to adjust to the changes arising from the pandemic. The potential for these activities to influence and contribute to broader social mobilisation will be examined and promoted.

This project is carried out through five distinct objectives aligned to four work packages:

Children’s Research Advisory Group (CRAG): An advisory group formed of children and young people aged 10-17 years old (same as the target population for this research) established to act in an advisory role to add value to the research by advising the (adult) researchers on the formulation of research questions, appropriateness of methods, design of data-gathering instruments, analysis and interpretation of findings, and/or design of dissemination materials and methods.
WP1: Undertake a rapid realist review (RRR) of international literature and practice to identify, appraise and understand how protective mechanisms mitigate the psychosocial risks children face in a pandemic.
WP2: Carry out a scoping review of international literature to establish children and young people’s contributions to building community resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.
WP3: Investigate children and young people’s perspectives through the collection of their reflections on creative outlets and processes because of and related to COVID-19 experiences.
WP4: Based on children's experiences during COVID-19, their needs and priorities, accessible communications (e.g., policy briefings, video or still animation, comic strips) will be co-produced to convey key learnings and messages agreed as key through the co-production process. These could be for use in policy, practice, and the community for future reference or in similar pandemic situations.

Project Outputs

COVISION Pitch Day

The COVISION co-design members aged 10-17 years of children and young people at the PICTH Day held by Ombudsman for Children Office as they pitched their ideas to Ireland's senior officials. This is a central part of COVISION Project to ensure that children and young people voice are heard by the policy makers and government officals. Our invitation has been accepted by Minister Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY); Dr Nail Muldoon, The Ombudsman for Children. Judith Lyons, Principal Officer, Parents and Learners Unit, Dept of Education; Cliodhna O’Neill, Head of Communications, Dept of Education; Dr Ciara Martin, National Clinical Advisor and Group Lead for Children and Young People, Health Services executives (HSE), Dr Anne Cody Head of Investigator-led Grants, Research Careers and Enablers, Health Research Board (HRB); Amy Mulvihill, National General Manager - Prevention, Partnership and Family Support Programme at Tusla, Child and Family Agency (TUSLA); Dr Anna Visser Principal Officer level (Head of Research and Evaluation)(DCEDIY); Lara Hyde (DCEDIY).