Dr Jocelyn Kernot is an occupational therapist and academic with a strong commitment to inclusive, evidence-based practice and the co-design of services that meet the needs of diverse and underserved populations. Since joining the occupational therapy teaching team in 2009, she has taught across a broad range of subject areas, with a particular focus on clinical skill development—including occupational therapy practice in hospital settings, neurological rehabilitation, and environmental adaptation—as well as field practice education. She led the establishment of the student-led occupational therapy neurological rehabilitation service at the UniSA City West and Elizabeth Health and Medical Clinics, where she also served as a... Read more
About me
Dr Jocelyn Kernot is an occupational therapist and academic with a strong commitment to inclusive, evidence-based practice and the co-design of services that meet the needs of diverse and underserved populations. Since joining the occupational therapy teaching team in 2009, she has taught across a broad range of subject areas, with a particular focus on clinical skill development—including occupational therapy practice in hospital settings, neurological rehabilitation, and environmental adaptation—as well as field practice education. She led the establishment of the student-led occupational therapy neurological rehabilitation service at the UniSA City West and Elizabeth Health and Medical Clinics, where she also served as a clinical educator.
Prior to entering academia, Dr Kernot worked for 17 years as a clinician across hospital, community, and private practice settings, with clinical expertise in neurological rehabilitation for both children and adults. She has held senior clinical and leadership roles, including Deputy Head of the Occupational Therapy Department and Head Paediatric Occupational Therapist at East Surrey Hospital in the UK. Her clinical and academic experience spans metropolitan, rural, and international contexts.
Dr Kernot completed her PhD in 2016 and has since led or contributed to a range of multidisciplinary research initiatives focused on improving health and wellbeing through community development and innovative models of service delivery. Her research particularly addresses the needs of individuals experiencing disability, neurodivergence, and barriers related to equity and access, including those living in rural and remote areas. She has expertise in both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, including co-design, Delphi studies, realist evaluation, qualitative descriptive methods, and randomised controlled trials.
Dr Kernot has published over 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and secured more than $660,000 in research funding. She has supervised 11 Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students (PhD and Masters) and over 15 Honours students.
Research Interests:
About me
Doctor of Philosophy University of South Australia
Bachelor of Applied Science (Occupational Therapy) with Honours University of South Australia
Research
Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.
Co-designing a wellbeing intervention with rural young people, SA Dept of Human Services, 25/07/2024 - 01/07/2025
A mental wellbeing program delivered in partnership with community based men’s mental health support groups and rural South Australian football clubs/leagues, Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, 11/11/2019 - 17/05/2022
FIA044 Ind Ptnr - An evaluation of the physiological and psychosocial effect of 6 weeks of Immersion Therapy for people with a disability, Determined 2, 12/03/2019 - 30/09/2020
Please see 'Reserach degree supervision' tab for PhD and Masters projects
Grant funded research
Honours research supervision
Research
Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus
Open access indicates that an output is open access.
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2025 |
Open access
2
2
4
|
| 2024 |
Open access
3
|
| 2023 |
Open access
4
4
10
|
| 2022 |
5
5
2
|
| 2021 |
Open access
2
2
1
|
| Year | Output |
|---|---|
| 2025 |
Open access
2
2
4
|
| 2024 |
5
|
| 2024 |
Open access
3
|
| 2023 |
Open access
4
4
10
|
| 2022 |
Open access
14
11
27
|
| 2022 |
5
5
2
|
| 2022 |
Open access
1
1
6
|
| 2022 |
Open access
9
10
5
|
| 2022 |
Open access
4
4
1
|
| 2022 |
7
7
1
|
| 2022 |
Open access
8
|
| 2021 |
3
2
7
|
| 2021 |
Open access
|
| 2021 |
7
8
1
|
| 2021 |
11
9
1
|
| 2021 |
Open access
2
2
1
|
| 2021 |
Open access
1
|
| 2021 |
2
5
5
|
| 2021 |
2
1
5
|
| 2021 |
Open access
27
25
8
|
| 2020 |
9
9
3
|
| 2020 |
Open access
2
|
| 2019 |
24
23
3
|
| 2018 |
Open access
14
14
5
|
| 2018 |
Open access
41
35
11
|
| 2017 |
Open access
294
218
96
|
| 2016 |
3
|
| 2016 |
52
24
81
|
| 2014 |
9
|
| 2014 |
59
52
|
| 2014 |
Open access
32
30
|
| 2013 |
Open access
42
37
|
| 2013 |
5
6
|
| 2011 |
11
10
|
Jocelyn's research is community driven and focused on applied interventions to meet the needs of end users. This includes engagement and collaborations with the following agencies
External engagement & recognition
| Organisation | Country |
|---|---|
| Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network Incorporated | AUSTRALIA |
| Central Adelaide Local Health Network Incorporated | AUSTRALIA |
| Department for Education | UNITED KINGDOM |
| Duke University | UNITED STATES |
| Edith Cowan University | AUSTRALIA |
| Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network | AUSTRALIA |
| Flinders University | AUSTRALIA |
| Hospital Research Foundation | AUSTRALIA |
| Monash University | AUSTRALIA |
| Novita Children's Services | AUSTRALIA |
| Reactivate Group | AUSTRALIA |
| Royal Adelaide Hospital | AUSTRALIA |
| South Australian Health and Medical and Research Institute (SAHMRI) | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Adelaide | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Manchester | UNITED KINGDOM |
| University of South Australia | AUSTRALIA |
| University of Sydney | AUSTRALIA |
External engagement & recognition
| Engagement/recognition | Year |
|---|---|
MemberOccupational Therapy Board of Australia |
2018 |
MemberOccupational Therapy Board of Australia |
2017 |
Member of the Joanna Briggs Institute Mental Health Expert Reference Group - reviewing evidence summaries targeted at clinicians to aid with evidence based practice
Jocelyn teaches into the graduate entry and undergraduate occupational therapy programs with teaching experience in a range of occupational courses and teaching innovations including:
Teaching & student supervision
Teaching & student supervision
Supervisions from 2010 shown
| Thesis title | Student status |
|---|---|
| 110305 - Department for Education Self Regulation Service Outcome Evaluation | Current |
| Development of validated neurodiverse-affirming guidelines for occupational therapists working with children and families | Current |
| Exploring the role of exercise physiology in supporting psychosocial and physical developmental delays in children and adolescents with diagnosed mental disorders | Current |
| Play, Talk and Tea - Parents' perspectives of their involvement in allied health early childhood intervention groups. | Current |
| Supporting foster carers in using play as a therapeutic tool | Current |
| Teaching and learning the lived experience in allied health tertiary education | Current |
| The role of Immersion Therapy in managing chronic pain in disease and disability | Current |
| Exploring the physical and psychosocial experience of Immersion Therapy¿ for people living with a disability | Completed |
| Home-based occupational therapy for adults with both Down syndrome and dementia | Completed |
| Screening and assessment of spatial neglect in adults post stroke | Completed |
| Towards developing the foundations of robust research practice for art therapy in Australia: trauma-focused art therapy for defence and emergency services personnel with PTS | Completed |
