Reusable nappies: research

Appendix B: Focus group schedule

18:00-18:05 Welcome and tech check

18:05-18:10 Introduction and overview

• Project aim
• Focus group overview, stressing we want them to discuss amongst themselves as much as possible, but recognise this can be difficult in online situation
• NO JUDGEMENT about their nappy choice, just want to understand more about motivations and barriers
• Housekeeping – be polite and respectful; sensitive info may be shared; confidentiality; remember you’re being recorded etc.

18:10-18:20 Icebreaker

• Introduce yourself, how many and ages of children
• Recent milestone achieved

18:20-18:40: What you do

• What type of nappies do you use at the moment, and how are you finding this?
• Ask each individual in turn
• (group directed Qs thereafter)
• Can you tell us about your motivations for using disposables?
• Did you ever think about using reusables?
• To people who haven’t used reusables
• If not, what do you think using reusables would be like?
• Can you tell us your motivations for using reusables?
• To people who have used reusables
• Do you ever use disposables?
• If you have used, and gave up, can you explain why?
• Prompt e.g. financial, other children, lack of drying space etc.

18:40-19:00 External Influences

• Was there any person or factor that had a particular influence on your nappy choices? E.g. family member/friend
• WHEN did people make decision about what type of nappy to use?
• What about broader community influences e.g. antenatal groups, parenting groups?
• Did social media have any influence on your decision?
• If you use nursery/daycare, are they supportive of your nappy choice? Are you aware of children in cloth nappies there?

19:00-19:10: Schemes

• Voucher in baby box – did anyone use?
• Explore why not
• Are you aware of any other promotional schemes for reusables nappies? E.g. council led schemes, nappy lending libraries?
• What/how do people feel about second-hand cloth nappies?
• From both environmental and personal cost angles

19:10-19:15: Challenges/Motivators to Reusables

• What would help make people want to use them more?
• If there was one think that would make you try reusables, what would it be?
• Who would be effective promotors? Who is likely to influence people (in general) most?
• e.g. local authority/local community groups, health visitors? Antenatal group?

19:15-19:25: Anything That Hasn’t Been Discussed Already/ Additional Prompts

• If you use nursery/daycare, are they supportive of your nappy choice? Are you aware of children in cloth nappies there?
• Do you stick with one disposable brand, or do you try different brands? What makes you try different brands (cost, the materials and chemicals used in the nappies, the comfort for the baby etc.)
• If supermarkets stocked different types of reusables just like they do with disposables, and they were cost effective, would you try reusables?
• Have you thought about using reusables at different stages of your child’s life, such as to help with potty training, or having reusables on in the day and disposables in the night?