Rate My Professor Donna Smith

As a PhD candidate in the Centre for Health, Activity, and Rehabilitation Research (CHARR) at the University of Otago, Donna Smith's thesis explores "Weaving safety and support: Empowering whānau and perinatal care providers in preterm babywearing journeys," under the supervision of Dr. Meredith Perry, Lizz Carrington, and Bernadette Jones. Her research specializations include paediatric physiotherapy, developmental care, babywearing, and community empowerment. Key publications co-authored by Smith feature "The effectiveness of play as an intervention using International Classification of Functioning outcome measures for children with disabilities – a systematic review and meta-synthesis" in Disability & Rehabilitation (2024), "Perceptions of Pasifika caregivers on a Pacific community playground and implications for paediatric physiotherapists" in the New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy (2022), and "Lessons Māori led early childhood centres can share to improve paediatric health service: Perceptions of caregivers of Māori children attending Māori centred childcare" (2022). She has presented on inductive teaching methods in physiotherapy at the University of Otago Learning and Teaching Symposium (2025). Smith contributes to professional committees including the Paediatric Special Interest Group of Physiotherapy New Zealand, the Child Development and Disability Network of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand, and the Carosika Collaborative for preterm birth experiences.