FAQs FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Why me?

You have been invited to take part in this project because you are 10-16 years old. You have been selected to represent thousands of other young people like you in England – that’s why it’s really important that you take part and give your views.

Where did you get my contact details from?

Your contact details were selected at random from a National Pupil Database. This is a database kept by the Department for Education, a government organisation, which contains information about all young people at school.

Who is it for?

The research is being conducted by Verian, an independent research agency, on behalf of the Home Office. The Home Office is a government organisation that aims to keep people from the UK safe and to build a UK society that is secure and fair.

What is it for?

This research project will reach 2,500 young people across England and will be used to help the Government make decisions about the safety of young people online. The survey isn’t a test, and there are no right or wrong answers. We’re asking young people all over England to share their experiences so that researchers can better understand what it’s like growing up online today. What you tell us will help adults like teachers, charities and government teams learn how to make online spaces safer and more supportive for young people.

What will I be asked to do?

If you choose to take part, this survey will take you about 20 minutes to do. You will be able to ask your parents or a trusted adult for help. You can complete each survey online, and log in details are provided in your invitation letter. You can complete the survey on your computer, tablet or smartphone. You will also get a voucher to thank you for taking part.

We’ll also ask your parent for their permission to contact you to take part in more research related to this project in the next two years. You do not have to take part if you do not want to. We’ll send reminders and updates to make it easy to stay involved, and you can choose to continue or stop at any stage.

Will there be bad things about taking part?

We think some of the survey questions will be interesting or even fun, and that you might feel good knowing you’re helping Verian and the Home Office understand how young people spending time online can be supported and kept safe. But some questions might feel hard, especially if bad things have happened to you while using social media, playing online games or while communicating with people online. This could include questions about seeing or experiencing content that might make you feel uncomfortable, upset, angry or confused. You don’t need to answer any questions that you don’t want to. You can select ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I don’t want to say’ if you prefer to skip these questions. You can also close the survey at any point if you don’t wish to continue. If any questions make you feel upset, you (or your parent/caregiver or trusted adult) can contact the organisations below for support:

Childline: 0800 1111 - https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/1-2-1-counsellor-chat/
The Mix: https://www.themix.org.uk/ - Text THEMIX to 85258 anytime
Mind: 0300 123 3393 - https://www.mind.org.uk/for-young-people/how-to-get-help-and-support/useful-contacts/

What happens to my information?

This survey is confidential. This means that the answers you give in the survey are stored on secure computer systems. These systems are protected and follow strict rules to keep your information safe, such as the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). Only the research team at Verian can see your survey answers, and they won’t know who you are when they look at the data. Data from the survey will be shared with the Home Office, but they won’t receive any information that can identify you. For further information please refer to the survey privacy policy found here.

How do I collect the voucher?

At the end of your parent’s survey, they will be asked how they would like to receive the voucher — either by email or by post.

If they choose email: Once you have completed your survey, we will send the voucher to your parent’s email address. The email will include a link to the Merit website, where you can choose from a range of different vouchers.

If they choose post: A Love2Shop voucher will be sent to your parent by post after you have completed your survey.

Do I have to take part?

No, you don’t have to take part if you don’t want to, even if your parent wants you to. Because we can’t replace you with anyone else, we’d love for you to stay involved in the study, but we totally understand if you decide to stop at any time. If you want to leave the study and stop getting letters, you can let us know by asking a parent/trusted adult to contact us on Freephone 0800 051 0888 or by emailing YDESurvey@veriangroup.com. They will need to let us know the reference number found on the letter.

Will you be contacting me again?

If you agree at the end of the survey, we may contact you again during the next two years to take part in follow up related research. We will get in touch with your parent or trusted adult again at that time to ask their permission for you to take part. We won’t use your contact details for any other purposes.