Researchers

PLEASE NOTE: The Researcher Applications process is currently undergoing a transition, and this webpage will be updated shortly to reflect the new process. In the meantime, any applications sent to ASD-UK/Daslne will now be passed to the charity Autistica to process.

The Autism Spectrum Database-UK (ASD-UK) and the Database of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in the North East (Daslne) aim to:

  • Help researchers recruit families to studies about ASD that may lead to advances in the care and treatment of children
  • Allow families to take part in research that aims to answer important questions about ASD
  • Collect data about children with ASD and their families, allowing researchers to answer important research questions

This page contains information about making an application to recruit families through ASD-UK and Daslne (referred to from now on as 'the Databases'). The application process is straightforward and decisions about how the Databases can help are made within one month. There is a modest cost for staff time used to contact families on your behalf.

The following are quotes from researchers who have successfully recruited through the databases:

 “We contacted ASD-UK and Daslne to ask them if they could assist us in recruiting parents of children with ASD for a research project we were undertaking at our university.  The team members have been a pleasure to deal with as they promptly reviewed our request and comprehensively answered all of our questions about how best to proceed.  They were able to specifically identify members who matched our research criteria (e.g. age) therefore making sure this recruitment drive was precise but efficient for us.  The mailing of recruitment information through ASD-UK and Daslne was straightforward and systematic and included follow up reminders on our behalf.  We have managed to recruit a lot of participants to our study as a result of their assistance.”

 “I circulated a large international survey to parents of children with autism via the ASD-UK and Daslne databases. The process was both thorough, with examination by an independent ethics committee including stakeholder representatives, and straightforward. We received near to 300 responses to our survey but more importantly we felt that our research had received a valuable ‘seal of approval’ from the ASD-UK and Daslne teams, which was meaningful to participants.”

We are very happy to speak with you about your application please telephone us on 0191 282 5965 or email us at [email protected] if you have questions or need any assistance.

Paperwork for research applications to be reviewed at a meeting should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the meeting taking place.

 

We have put together the answers to some frequently asked questions about the databases and hope you'll find this information useful.

Frequently asked questions: