Improving school performance and participation among primary school children with chronic health conditions through targeted school-based support and care. The ikidS II project

Project period: 2017 - 2020

You can find the study protocol (in German) here(PDF 441,2 KB).

The final report for the project (in German) can be accessed here(PDF 1,9 MB).

Abstract

The ikidS I project examined the association between chronic health conditions (CHC) and other educationally relevant health impairments at the start of school and early academic success. Health impairments relevant to schooling were identified and shown to be associated with early academic success. The second phase of the project (ikidS II) built on these findings. IkidS II continued to pursue the objectives of the ikidS I project and added new ones. Thus, ikidS II also focused on the association between CHC and academic achievement. Academic achievement was examined in greater depth and expanded to include new outcome measures (e.g., participation and school career).

The ikidS II project was divided into three subprojects:

Subproject S1 (continuation of the ikidS I cohorts) investigated the effects of CHC at the time of starting school on the following aspects at the end of grades three and four: school performance, special educational support, school-related well-being, social participation and the recommendation for a specific type of secondary school. Additional surveys of children, parents and teachers were carried out to gather information on these aspects.

Subproject S2 focused on providing an overview of existing, well-evaluated school-based interventions for the support and care of children with CHC, and on evaluating these interventions by means of systematic literature review and methods of evidence synthesis and meta-analysis.

Based on subprojects S1 and S2, a specific school-based intervention was developed, implemented and evaluated in a feasibility study (subproject S3: Feasibility study on a school nursing service). To this end, a school nurse was established in each of two pilot schools to deliver and document the intervention.

The project findings and conclusions are intended to lead to practical recommendations for improving the care of pupils with CHC in the fields of public health, educational institutions and the healthcare system.

Funding

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

Contact

Prof. Dr. Michael S. Urschitz, EU-MSc. (Principal investigator)
E-Mail: urschitz@uni-mainz.de