REACH: Little Bodies, Big Voices

About the project

REACH: Little Bodies, Big Voices is a research study that asks children, families and professionals to help design future child health research. Children aged 3 to 10 take part in fun, creative workshops alongside parents, carers and people who work with children. They work together to tell us how to make research feel safe, comfortable and worthwhile for the children who take part.

Full study title: Co-designing Child-Centred Measurement Approaches for a Longitudinal Child Health Study

Why this matters

Doctors and researchers often use BMI (a measure of weight for height) to check whether children are a healthy size, but BMI gets this wrong for many children. It cannot tell the difference between fat and muscle, and it works less well for children of different ages, body sizes and ethnicities.

Newer methods can give a much clearer picture. These include 3D body scanning, body composition scans and simple measurements such as skinfolds. Very little is known about how children and families feel about these methods. Unfamiliar equipment, new places, close contact, keeping still and wearing fitted clothing can all make children feel anxious. Parents also want to know how their child’s information will be kept safe.

How it fits into REACH

Little Bodies, Big Voices is part of REACH (Evaluating Anthropometry for Children’s Health), a UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship at Sheffield Hallam University. REACH aims to find better ways to measure children’s bodies and health.

In the main REACH study, 400 children from across Sheffield will visit us once a year between the ages of 3 and 10, starting in September 2027. Studies like this only work when families want to keep coming back. What we learn in Little Bodies, Big Voices will shape every part of those visits, from how we invite families to how we measure children and thank them for their time.

Little Bodies, Big Voices does not involve any body measurements, health checks or medical procedures. Children and adults take part in talking, drawing and play-based activities only.

What we want to find out

Our workshops explore nine big questions:

  1. Taking part: How should we invite families, ask for consent and say thank you, so that everyone feels welcome to join?
  2. Measurement methods: How do children and parents feel about methods such as 3D body scanning, body composition scans, skinfolds and finger-prick blood tests? Which explanations, demonstrations and practice runs make them easier to understand?
  3. Looking after data: What do families expect us to do with their information, and what would help them trust us with it?
  4. The measurement space: What helps children feel calm and comfortable during measurement? Examples include visual countdowns, privacy screens, clothing guidance and room layout.
  5. Where visits happen: Would families prefer visits at school, at community drop-ins, at our research centre or at holiday-camp style measurement days?
  6. Coming back each year: What would encourage families to take part every year for seven years?
  7. Explaining the study: Which videos, comics, infographics and walkthroughs work best for children and for parents?
  8. Getting feedback: How should we ask families what they think, and keep improving the study over time?
  9. Including everyone: What helps or stops families from different ages, body sizes, backgrounds, cultures and languages from taking part?

Who can take part

We are inviting three groups from across South Yorkshire:

  • Children aged 3 to 10, with permission from a parent or carer
  • Parents and carers aged 18 or over with a child aged 3 to 10
  • Professionals and volunteers aged 18 or over who work with children, such as youth workers, early years practitioners and teachers

Every child is welcome, whatever their size, shape or background. We especially want to hear from families who do not usually take part in research.

What happens in a workshop

We are running around 14 workshops:

Workshop Who takes part Group size
Children’s workshops Children in three age groups: 3 to 5, 5 to 7 and 7 to 10 6 to 10 children
Adult workshops Parents, carers and professionals 10 to 15 adults
Family workshops Children with their parents or carers 10 to 15 children plus their adults

Children’s sessions take place in person and last 60 to 90 minutes. We hold them in familiar places, such as schools, nurseries, after-school clubs, family hubs and community centres. Adult sessions last around 90 minutes and take place in person or online.

For children

Children take part in play-based activities led by friendly researchers. They might:

  • talk in small groups using simple, child-friendly language
  • draw, colour and make things to share their ideas
  • sort, rank and vote on pictures and options
  • explore stories and pictures about taking part in research
  • see pretend versions of measurement methods, such as cardboard models, pictures and videos

Children can skip any activity, take a break or stop at any time.

For adults

Parents, carers and professionals take part in group discussions. You might:

  • share your views on child health research and what makes it feel trustworthy
  • look at and discuss the measurement methods we plan to use
  • give feedback on our information sheets, videos and consent forms
  • talk about what makes it easier or harder for families to take part

You can skip any question or leave the session at any time.

Keeping children safe

The workshops are low risk and involve no physical contact. We will not:

  • take any body measurements or carry out health checks
  • collect blood, saliva or any other samples
  • ask anyone to change what they eat or how active they are

Every researcher working with children holds an enhanced DBS check and has safeguarding training. A trusted adult from the school, club or group is present or nearby throughout. We follow Sheffield Hallam University’s safeguarding procedures at all times.

Some children may feel shy or unsure talking about bodies. Our researchers use gentle, age-appropriate language and watch closely for signs that a child wants to stop.

Saying yes, and changing your mind

Taking part is completely voluntary.

  • Children’s workshops in schools, clubs and groups: Parents and carers receive an information sheet in advance. Parents who wish to opt their child out should contact the school, club or group directly, which will let the research team know. Children who are opted out do not take part. If you do not opt out, the group will assume you are happy for your child to take part.
  • Adult workshops: Adults read an information sheet and sign a consent form before taking part.
  • Family workshops: Parents and carers give consent for themselves and their child before the session.

We also explain the study to every child at the start of each session and ask whether they want to join in. Only children who say yes take part, and they can stop at any time without giving a reason. Parents and carers can also withdraw their child at any time by contacting the school, club or group, or the research team.

Thank you for taking part

We really value the time families give us. At the end of each workshop:

  • children receive a sticker, a certificate and a small gift of their choice from our thank-you box, such as books, colouring or craft items
  • adults receive a £10 shopping voucher

These gifts are a thank you, not a payment or an incentive to take part. The back of each child’s certificate includes information for parents and carers about what the workshop involved.

How we look after your information

What we collect

  • audio recordings of group discussions, with permission
  • notes written by the researchers
  • drawings, writing and other things made during the workshops, with no names on them
  • photographs of activities and materials, with no faces or identifying details
  • basic background information from adults, such as age, gender and ethnicity, with a “prefer not to say” option for every question

We do not collect names or personal details from children. We use information about the school or community group, such as area-level data, to check that we are hearing from a wide range of families.

How we keep it safe

  • We remove names and identifying details straight away, or within 2 working days at most.
  • We type up audio recordings without names and delete the recordings once they are no longer needed.
  • We record audio and take photographs on Sheffield Hallam University devices only. We store everything on secure University systems, and only the research team can access it.
  • We keep consent forms and contact details separately from the research data.
  • We never take video recordings.
  • We follow UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We process personal data under the legal basis of public task, as part of the University’s role in research for the public benefit.

Removing your information

The workshops happen in groups, and we remove names very quickly. We usually cannot pick out and remove one person’s contributions after that point. We explain this before anyone takes part.

Sharing what we find

All reports, presentations and publications use fully anonymous information. We check any quotes carefully so that no child, family, school or group can be identified.

There is one exception to confidentiality. A concern that a child or adult may be at risk of harm will be passed to the University’s safeguarding leads, who decide on next steps.

What happens next

We will look for common themes across everything children and adults tell us. These themes will become practical recommendations for the main REACH study, covering:

  • how we invite families and ask for consent
  • how we explain and demonstrate each measurement
  • what the measurement space looks and feels like
  • how we thank families and encourage them to come back each year
  • how we look after families’ information

We will share what we learn through plain-language summaries and infographics for families and settings, academic publications and conference talks. All summaries will appear on this page. We also plan to turn our findings into guidance that other researchers can use when designing studies with children.

For schools, nurseries and community groups

We would love to run a workshop with your children, families or staff. Hosting a workshop involves:

  • agreeing a date and time that fits your usual routine
  • sharing our information and opt-out notice with parents and carers in advance
  • providing a room and a member of staff who stays present or nearby

We bring all materials and run the session from start to finish. We then send you a debrief email and share the findings with you. Please email a.bullas@shu.ac.uk to talk about hosting a workshop.

Information sheets and resources

[COMING – WATCH THIS SPACE]

  • Information sheet for parents and carers
  • Information sheet for adult participants
  • Information sheet for schools, early years settings and community groups
  • Information sheet for children aged 3 to 7
  • Information sheet for children aged 7 to 10
  • Children’s poster
  • Information videos

Get involved

Register your interest here or email a.bullas@shu.ac.uk.

The research team

  • Dr Alice Bullas, Senior Research Fellow and UKRI Future Leaders Fellow, Sheffield Hallam University (project lead)
  • Dr Christina Tatham, Lecturer in Education, University of Sheffield

Funding and ethics

Little Bodies, Big Voices is part of REACH, funded by a UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowship. The study has been reviewed and approved by the Sheffield Hallam University Research Ethics Committee (reference [to be added]). Read more about research ethics at Sheffield Hallam University.

Contact us

Please email Dr Alice Bullas at a.bullas@shu.ac.uk with any questions about the study.

Anyone wishing to raise a concern with someone outside the research team can contact:

  • Head of Research Ethics: ethicssupport@shu.ac.uk
  • Data Protection Officer: DPO@shu.ac.uk