We recently put out a survey seeking help for Dr Catherine Wilkinson who is carrying out a project to help children with IBD during their school years. Below is a follow up.
IBD, School and Me is a research project led by Dr Catherine Wilkinson, Reader in Childhood and Youth Studies at Liverpool John Moores University, who brings personal insight to the study through her own diagnosis of Crohn's disease. The study explores the everyday school lives of children with Crohn's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, recognising that some schools across the UK lock toilets during lessons or require staff permission to access them, creating unnecessary barriers and distress for children who need urgent and frequent bathroom access.
The IBD, School and Me study seeks to amplify the voices of both primary and secondary school children (aged 5-16) in the UK who have IBD, using individual interviews, solicited diaries, and virtual participatory design workshops to explore how school toilet policies and the wider school environment affect them and impact their everyday school lives.
Some schools lock toilets during lessons or require staff permission to access them, creating barriers and distress for children who need urgent and frequent bathroom access
The research will culminate in the co-creation of a children's storybook, working with a children's storybook illustrator, that reflects children's lived experiences of IBD at school. This book will be shared with schools, educators, and health professionals to promote more compassionate and inclusive policies.
This research is grounded in the belief that children with IBD deserve to feel safe and supported at school. By involving children in the co-creation of the storybook, the project not only gathers important insights but also gives children a creative and empowering platform to advocate for change.
