Pilot campaign will engage new families with the importance of data research
Categories: Public engagement, ADR UK Partnership, Children & young people
10 May 2023
The Public Engagement in Data Research Initiative (PEDRI) has launched a pilot campaign to raise awareness of the public benefits of data research. ‘Your Data in Action’ will share information with new families about how research using public data can make a difference to their lives, and those of their children. ADR UK is a co-founding member of PEDRI.
The ‘Your Data in Action’ campaign has been informed by focus groups and insights gathered from the public, in order to share the benefits of data research in the most informative and engaging ways. As a pilot campaign, it will target new and expectant parents in two areas – Barking and Dagenham, and North Tyneside. The PEDRI partnership aims to gather insight that can inform any future campaign work designed for the wider public on a national basis.
Dr Emma Gordon, Director of ADR UK said: “Public engagement is a vital part of administrative data research. Through best practice public engagement, we can make sure the research insights generated from public data are used for maximum public benefit.
“Recommendations from the ADR UK – Office for Statistics Regulation public dialogue included the use of clear, proactive communication to show how evidence informs decision making. I’m delighted to see this pilot campaign exploring new ways to share stories and information with new families, to illustrate how public data can inform decisions that benefit them.”
At the centre of the campaign is an online hub for parents to explore, get involved, and learn how and why public data is used for research in the public interest. The campaign hub includes case studies and videos illustrating the real-world benefits of public involvement in data research, including ADR Scotland’s work on engaging with children and young people in a rights-based way. These stories show how insights from public data research can make a difference to children’s lives.
The campaign also features a video of UCL’s Professor Katie Harron, who is part of the ECHILD project. ECHILD stands for Education and Child Health Insights from Linked Data. The project is funded by ADR UK to create a research-ready database linking health, education and social care data for all children in England. Katie discusses how this data linkage can be used to generate insights that can improve services for new families.
PEDRI is a sector-wide partnership bringing together a range of organisations who work with data and statistics to generate insights to inform policy and practice. The goal is to collaborate on establishing and driving forward best practice for public involvement and engagement with data research, to bring the views of the public to policymakers and data holders in a more meaningful way.
Professor Andrew Morris is Director of Health Data Research UK (HDR UK), another co-founding organisation of PEDRI, and an ADR UK Ambassador. He said: “We are very excited HDR UK and its PEDRI partners are launching its pilot campaign raising awareness of the positive role data plays in new family’s lives. Representativeness in research is vital, and this is an innovative approach to patient and public involvement and participation. I hope it will produce new insights and learnings on how to engage and earn trust in the research use of routine data in people’s lives”.
