The interviewing was conducted using computer assisted personal interviewing(CAPI). All interviews were completed between 25 July and 15September2000 by fully trained Ipsos-RSL interviewers. In total, 28 expenenced interviewers worked on the project. Each was monitored to Interviewer Quality Control Scheme (IQCS) standards and to ensure that theywereat ease with the project. Senior supervisors and regional
controllers conductedthe monitoring, with signed monitoring notes being kept in each interviewer’s file.
C.4..1 Making contact: advance letters, opt-outs and calling procedure
An advance letter on ES headed paper (see Appendix D) was sent to each selected
individual in the sample, prior to fieldwork.lpsos-RSL’s Postal Department conducted
the matlout ofadvance letters. The letter explained the reasons for the survey and requested co-operation and participation. If the individual did notwish to participate in the survey, they were asked tocontact theES or the survey manager to havetheir
name withdrawnfrom thesample.
Sevento ten days after themailoutof the letters, interviewers began making personal
contact to attempt to secure an interview. In total interviewers were instructedto call up
to fourtimes at the addresses of sample members in order to make contact.
Interviewingwas conducted between 9.OOam and 8.3Opm during the week and
Appendix C—Research methods C/7
These are the best times of the day to ensure that interviews are achieved with ‘hard-
to-reach’ respondents, such as young people (16-24 years), males and, particularly relevant for this survey, those with jobs If respondents requested acall back at another
time the interviewer, after checking with her Regional Controller, scheduled this. C.4.2 Site of interviews
The interviewers were issued with thehome addressesof the respondents in order to make contact with them. Consequently, more often than not, interviews were conducted at respondents’ homes Mostrespondents were happy with this arrangement. However,
interviewers were instructed that, if the respondent preferred, the interview could be
completedanywtiere elsewithin reason. Several respondents wished to becontacted
and interviewed at work— often becausethey hadcommunicator assistancethere.
Once the permissionof the err~oyerinvolved had been agreed, the interviews were
then completed in the normal manner at the site of work.
C.4..3 Using interpreters and other communicators to assist at Interview It was known thatsome people in the sample might wish their interviews to be
conducted using a Sign Language Interpreter(SL1). To allow maximum time for the
necessary arrangementsto be made, interviewers were instructed to makecontactfirst
with those that the~sampIeinformation indicated might wish such assistance (that is, they were pnonty codes CSI or SW) The interviewers were issued with special instructions explaining how tomake arrangementsfor an SL1 to attend an interview.If respondents expressed no preference for a SLI known to them, arrangements were
made with a ‘short notice’ interpreting agency under contract to SPRU.
lt was recognised that otherpeople in the sample might wish to have someone such as a relative, fnend or carer presentduring the interview. Specific instructionsto
interviewers stressed that the interview was to be conducted ~b the Access to Work users themselves, and not with their assistants who were only to be allowed as a conduit for information from the user and not as a source of information themselves.
C.4.4 Interviewer guidance and materials
Before starting work on the survey, all interviewers were givenfullwntten project instructions explaining the background and purpose of the survey, as well as detailing theworkings of the questionnaire. In particular, the instructions contained detailed guidance on interviewing people with different types of impairment.
The guidanceincluded a procedurefor interviewers to follow, whichwasdesigned to ensure that everyone selected for the survey would have theopportunityto participate, should they wish to. The interviewers wereinstructed to:
1) explain to the respondent exactly how the interview was to be carned out (that is, face to face in home using CAPI)
2) ask if the respondent required any adjustments to be madeto this process
3) if so, whether the respondents could make the adjustment(s)
themselves and could the adjustment(s) bemade there and then?
4) if not, to re-schedule the interview and make arrangements for the
In addition to these instructions and their standard matenals (such as their identity card, appointment cards, letter of authonty, etc.), the interviewers were given several other
matenals to complete the survey work. • copies of the ES advance letter • showcards
• instructions for arranging SLIs
• sample Issue Sheets
• paper copy of the CAPI questionnaire for reference C..4.5 Interview length
The interviews were 37 minutes long on average They ranged betweenthe shortest of
18 and the longest of 72, although overtwo-thirds
(69%)
were between 35and 45 minutes in length.C..4.6 Permission to bere-contacted
At the end of the interview, respondents were asked two questions concerning their willingness to be re-contacted for the purposes of further research:
ASK ALL
01 The Employment Service maywant another study about AccesstoWorkinthefuture. If
so, ~uldyou be willing to takepart?
Yes/No ASK IFRESPONDENT W1LUNG TO TAKE PART IN FUTURE ATW STUDY
02 Doyougive yourpermission for yourdetails tobe given to a researcher so that they can contact you abouttaking part inanotherstudy about Accessto Work?
Yes/No
598 (95%) of the 628 respondents said thatthey would be willing totake part in future
research and 574 (91 %) gavepermissionfor their details to be given to a researcher.