Contact Details
University Links
- Position
- Senior Professional Practice Fellow
- Qualifications
- BPhty (distinction) PGCertHealSc (Child health)
- Research summary
- Paediatric physiotherapy, developmental care, babywearing, community engagement and empowerment
- Teaching
- Clinical student supervision for third year physiotherapy students on the acute medical ward at Dunedin hospital and paediatric physiotherapy undergraduate teaching
- Memberships
- Paediatric Special Interest Group committee of Physiotherapy New Zealand
- Child Development and Disability Network of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand
- Carosika Collaborative Lived Experience and Education Group for preterm birth
- Clinical
- We-Play community developmental playgroup
- U Move Youth community activity group for children who find movement challenging (Physio student led with staff support)
Research
I am a paediatric physiotherapist with experience working in the hospital and community setting in Aotearoa New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
I am also mother to two children born preterm and have experience in using babywearing with my children, as well as supporting children and whānau in my professional and volunteer roles. I have completed training as a Babywearing Consultant through Slingababy NZ, and currently volunteer for the Ōtepoti Dunedin Carrier Library and well as supporting whānau with babywearing through our developmental playgroup.
I am currently enrolled as a PhD candidate exploring how we can empower whānau and perinatal care providers in preterm babywearing journeys.
Publications
Smith, D. (2025, November). What came first? Inductive teaching ideas in undergraduate physiotherapy. Verbal presentation at the University of Otago Learning and Teaching Symposium: Learning through the Lens of Educators, [Hybrid]. Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Carrington, L., Hale, L., Freeman, C., Smith, D., & Perry, M. (2024). The effectiveness of play as an intervention using International Classification of Functioning outcome measures for children with disabilities: A systematic review and meta-synthesis. Disability & Rehabilitation, 46(17), 3827-3848. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2023.2259305 Journal - Research Article
Taylor, M., Perry, M., Carrington, E., Bryant, K., Smith, D., & Sanerivi, O. (2022). Lessons Māori led early childhood centres can share to improve paediatric health service: Perceptions of caregivers of Māori children attending Māori centred childcare. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 50(3, Suppl.), (pp. S38-S39). doi: 10.15619/NZJP/50.3.07 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Drysdale, D., Carrington, L., Sanerivi, O., Smith, D., & Perry, M. (2022). Perceptions of Pasifika caregivers on a Pacific community playground and implications for paediatric physiotherapists. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 50(2), 72-81. doi: 10.15619/NZJP/50.2.04 Journal - Research Article