RESEARCH STATEMENT
Dr. Claire Kerr is a Senior Lecturer in Rehabilitation and a physiotherapist.  Her research aims to improve the health, well-being and provision of clinical services for children and young people with physical disabilities, in particular, those with cerebral palsy.  Her work explores the efficacy of therapeutic interventions, the use of measurement tools and service provision for this population, as well as knowledge translation with allied health professionals that work with children with cerebral palsy and their families.

 

 

School of Nursing and Midwifery Academic Lead for Public Involvement in Research

Member of School of Nursing and Midwifery Staff Development Committee

Member Faculty MHLS Research Innovation Translation Committee

Member Faculty MHLS Public Engagement Group

 

External
Honorary Fellow, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
British Academy of Childhood Disability-Castang Foundation Fellow, 2017-2019

Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (Northern Ireland), Secretary
Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (UK), Neurodisability Specialist Committee member
Regional Representative (NI) to British Academy of Childhood Disability

 

 

Undergraduate
- Lecturer: Evidence Based Nursing 3 (BSc Nursing)
- Personal tutor

- Lecturer: Musculoskeletal Care: Skills and Principles (Post-registration Nursing)
- Lecturer: Musculoskeletal Care: Fracture Trauma Nursing (Post-registration Nursing)
- Lecturer: Musculoskeletal Care: Orthopaedic Nursing (Post-registration Nursing)
- Dissertation Supervisor, MSc Advanced Professional Practice/Caring for Children and Young People with Complex Health Needs

 
CURRENT GRADUATE SUPERVISION
1. O’Connor B (part-time PhD), Australian Catholic University, Melbourne: Evidence-based assessment practices by allied health practitioners working with children with cerebral palsy (with Shields [La Trobe University], Imms and Adair [Australian Catholic University])
2. McCall E (part-time PhD), Queen’s University Belfast: The role of the health visitor in working towards positive outcomes for neonatal graduates and their families: developing a home-based, early intervention for pre-term infants (with Alderdice [University of Oxford], McNeill [QUB] and Franck [University of California, San Francisco])
3. McCavert (full-time PhD), Queen’s University Belfast: Sleep disturbances in children with cerebral palsy (with Perra [QUB])
4. Karim N (full-time PhD), Queen’s University Belfast: Qualitative study of Middle Eastern immigrant parents’ experiences of child healthcare services in Northern Ireland (with Boyle and Lohan [QUB])
5. Egbon J (part-time MSc), Queen’s University Belfast: Prevalence of co-morbid neurodevelopmental disabilities in children with cerebral palsy (with McConnell [QUB])
6. Zhou J (part-time MSc), Queen’s University Belfast (with Noble [QUB])

 

CURRENTLY FUNDED RESEARCH PROJECTS
1. Kerr C (PI) and McConnell [QUB]. Acceptability and feasibility of vestibular nerve stimulation (VeNS) in children with cerebral palsy: an industry-academic collaboration (2019; Medical Research Council, Proximity to Discovery)
2. Nugent C [UU], Kerr C and Cleland I [UU]. Developing a digital toolkit for objective clinical assessment of activity (2019-2020; Northern Ireland Connected Health Innovation Centre/Invest NI
3. Eastwood K, Kerr C, Perra O, Young I [all QUB]. Investigation of the link between maternal body mass index in early pregnancy and incidence of cerebral palsy in Northern Ireland (2018-2019; Queen’s University Belfast School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biological Sciences Scholarship Award)
4. Kerr C & Perra O. (Co-PI’s) Northern Ireland Cerebral Palsy Register. Public Health Agency, Northern Ireland (2017-2020).
5. Kerr C (PI). Knowledge Transfer Fellowship: post-operative musculoskeletal rehabilitation in cerebral palsy. (2016-2019; Centre of Research Excellence-Cerebral Palsy; Australian National Health and Medical Research Council)
 
 
RECENTLY COMPLETED RESEARCH
1. Sustaining Physical Activity in Community Environments (SPACE): Helping children with cerebral palsy achieve healthy physical activity habits for the future – a pilot study (2017-18 ACU Faculty of Health Sciences project grant)
2. Improving the lives of children with disability using postural supportive equipment: scoping collaborative industry-academic-clinical opportunities (2017 Medical Research Council Proximity to Discovery Award)
3. Improving long-term social, emotional, physical and educational outcomes for children and young adults with neurodisability (2017 DfE - Global Challenges Research Fund
4. Cerebral Palsy Check Up: providing the best service at the best time (2013-16 Australian National Health and Medical Research Council)
5. Goal Attainment Scaling for Allied Health Students (2015 Australian Catholic University Teaching Development Grant)
6. Development of a powered wheelchair simulator for children with cerebral palsy and motor disorders; a pilot study (2012 Trauma and Rehabilitation Translational Research Group, Northern Ireland)