Staff Profile

Summary

I am a senior allied health scientist leading research in the intersection of childhood health behaviours, prevention of multiple long-term conditions, and personalised health technologies. I am particularly interested in advancing novel research and new innovations that support young children's physical activity, sleep and wellbeing to promote life-course health.

I am passionate about collaborative cross-sector research, and all of my work brings together highly diverse, interdisciplinary teams, regularly involved colleagues across behavioural sciences, sociology, humanities, engineering, physiology, computing, economics, epidemiology, statistics, and allied health – as well as children and parents – to open new areas of research. Examples of our projects can be viewed, e.g. through the CHILD Research Group website.

I also lead work into Children's Health and Wellbeing at the National Innovation Observatory, and I lead the Paediatric Community within the national Methodology Incubator. Through these, in collaboration with others, I push the boundaries of current knowledge and thinking around child health and children's research, and inform practice, policy and commissioning.

As an Academy of Medical Sciences FLIER, and an active member in NIHR Academy, I am passionate about advancing cross-sector research and working across traditional disciplinary boundaries. I strongly believe that we are at our best when truly collaborating with others, and that diversity of views and expertise is core to our collective success. I seek to build this culture among the next generation of research leaders, for example through my leadership in the NHIP Academy.

Qualifications

• PhD Health Services Research, University of Aberdeen 2009
• PgDip Occupational Therapy, Queen Margaret University 2007
• MSc Health Services Research, University of Aberdeen 2006
• Toimintaterapeutti (AMK), Helsinki Polytechnic 2002

My research

My overarching research motivation is to advance child health innovation to improve their wellbeing now and over the life-course. My research focuses on everyday behaviours and employs a biopsychosocial approach. I have a long-standing interest in complex intervention research methods, and all of my work is interdisciplinary, with high emphasis on curiosity and opening up new areas of enquiry.

I focus on children who currently experience worse outcomes than their peers. This often includes children with long-term conditions, however I do not focus on specific diagnostic groups and it is very important to me that we consider children as children first and foremost.

I have a life-time grant income of over £34 million, by NIHR, MRC and EPSRC, with a rounded portfolio of studies focused around key themes. All my work centred on active stakeholder involvement, and all studies include supporting the next generation of research leaders.

Current programmes of research

• Physical activity, sleep and stress in very young children, in the context of promoting life-course health and wellbeing. Interdisciplinary research to advance the methods, concepts and evidence about everyday physical activity, sleep, stress and physiological health in young children, including the WEARables Project funded by Newcastle Hospitals Charity (£22,297, from 2022 to 2023), and the MRC (£98.468, from 2020 to 2020).
• Promoting early innovation in health technologies for children. Highly collaborative work through the National Innovation Observatory, funded by NIHR (£20,012,778, from 2021 to 2026), and the North Health Futures Hub, funded by EPSRC (£3,338,775, from 2023 to 2026).
• Supporting self-care in children with neurodisability. A 10-year programme of research by our UK-wide consortium, in response to a request for children, young people and parents to enable better early-interventions to support independence in children with neurodisability. This included substantial pre-trial research, funded by the RCOT (£77,559, from 2018 to 2020), and Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle University (£10,040 and £1,980 respectively, both from 2015 to 2016), as well as drawing on the major completed works, below. The current stage, funded by NIHR HTA (£2,389,056, from 2024 to 2028), is a formal cluster randomised controlled trial of early self-care support for children before school entry, involving 40 NHS organisations across the UK.

Major completed programmes

• Physical activity in younger children, including the ActiveCHILD study to promote health and functioning in children with physical limitations through participation in physical activities, funded by NIHR ICA Senior Clinical Lecturer Fellowship (£487,670), Kolehmainen N (CI), from 2016 to 2023, and the PPP study to develop theory and evidence for increasing participation in physical leisure pursuits and play in children with motor impairments, funded by the MRC Population Health Scientist Fellowship (£283,837), Kolehmainen N (CI), from 2010 to 2014. For the outputs, please see my publications.
• The EMPoWER review, evaluating the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of earlier provision of powered wheelchair interventions for children with mobility limitations. National Institute for Health Research, HTA Evidence Synthesis. £251,448. Kolehmainen N (Co-i). 2018 – 2019. Open access final HTA report
• Good Goals, to improve care for children accessing therapy services, funded by the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office (CSO), Kolehmainen N (CI), 2006 – 2010. See Open access publication evaluating the final intervention, or full Publications list for all the related papers. A book chapter, and a later paper on a MAPi method to support implementation of participation-focused practice in NHS context.

Fellowships supervised

• Marcroft: Improving the quality and value of enhanced developmental surveillance and support for preterm infants and their families. HEE/NIHR ICA Clinical Doctoral Fellowship, from 2019 to 2024
• Sykes: Enhancing audit and feedback in acute trust dementia care. NIHR Doctoral Research Training Fellowship, from 2017 to 2020 
• McAnuff: Improving health in children with disabilities: an intervention-development study to support participation in leisure in 8-12-year-olds with communication and mobility limitations. HEE/NIHR Clinical Academic Track Doctoral Research Training Fellowship, from 2015 to 2018
• NIHR pre-doctoral practitioner-academic and methodology fellowships, from 2019 to present: Harbottle (physiotherapist), Bell (physiotherapist), Salonen (occupational therapist), Rowen (occupational therapist), Hunter (methodologist).

Collaborators

My work is only possible because of the rich, long-standing collaborations I have with, for example:

• Ms Sam Armitage, Sheffield Children's NHS Trust, UK
• Dr Fiona Beyer, Newcastle University, UK
• Dr Nathan Bray, Bangor University, UK
• Dr Heather Brown, Newcastle University, UK
• Prof Dawn Craig, NIHRIO and Newcastle University, UK
• Ms Victoria Harbottle, Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, UK
• Professor Graeme MacLennan, University of Aberdeen, UK
• Dr Jen McAnuff, Pennine Care NHS Trust, UK
• Professor Kia Nazarpour, Edinburgh University, UK
• Dr Lindsay Pennington, Newcastle University, UK
• Prof Tim Rapley, Northumbria University, UK
• Dr Ian Robson, Northumbria University, UK
• Dr Esther van Sluijs, University of Cambridge, UK
• Dr Chris Thornton, Newcastle University, UK
• Professor Luke Vale, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
• Cheshire West and Chester Council, UK
• Great North Children's Hospital, Newcastle, UK
• HSRU, University of Aberdeen, UK
• Sheffield Children's Trust, Sheffield, UK

I am always delighted to hear from anyone who would like to explore opportunities to do further learning with me. 

For research supervision, training, and examining, I am happy to be approached for expertise in everyday health behaviours of children (both population and clinical groups), especially everyday physical activity, sleep and self-care behaviours. I am also very interested in collaborations that involve trial methods in the context of early life.

Postgraduate teaching and supervision

I have teaching experience in health services research and public health, health psychology, and applied research methods. I have designed new postgraduate teaching and training (e.g. in mixed methods, complex interventions), and delivered teaching and training to a range of audiences in a variety of settings. I have experience of examining across post-graduate degrees, including as an external PhD examiner.

Current PhD fellows/students and their topics:

• Sam Armitage, Self-care interventions and family support in childhood neurodisability. Newcastle University, UK
• Arwa Katab, Understanding natural childhood stressors at school primary entry
• Claire Marcroft, Routine surveillance of infants after neonatal care. Newcastle University, UK
• Nik Binti Nik Mohd Nasir, Understanding children’s emotional health and wellbeing, and educational attainment, in a post-COVID-19-restrictions world
• Hannah O'Keefe, Data mining for intelligence gathering
• Sam Popoola, Investigating impact of early-life adversity on young adults
• Domna Salonen, Uncovering opportunities for mental health support in everyday lives of families with multiple long-term conditions

PhDs supervised to completion, and their topics:

• Lelanie Brewer, Self-care development in under5s with neurodisability. Newcastle University, UK (2024)
• Fiona Beyer, Complex behaviour change interventions. Newcastle University, UK (2023)
• Michael Sykes, Audit and feedback implementation intervention. NIHR DRF. Newcastle University, UK (2020)
• Jennifer McAnuff, Leisure participation in young people with disability. NIHR CRDF. Newcastle University, UK (2019)
• Benita Powrie, Leisure participation in young people with disability. Queensland University, AUS (2018)

PhD/Mphil Viva examining: University of Groningen (2015), Glasgow Caledonian University (2013)

Masters research projects supervised to completion: MClinRes, Newcastle University (2015, 2019); MSc in Health Services and Public Health Research, University of Aberdeen (2013); and MSc in Professional Health and Social Care Studies, York St John’s University (2011).

Lecturing: MSc in Health Psychology, Northumbria University (in 2015); MSc in Health Service and Public Health Research, University of Aberdeen (2007-12) and Newcastle University (2016); and MSc in International Health and Management, University of Aberdeen (2009-12)

Health professional training

I have a long-standing commitment and a track record in growing clinical research capacity for a purpose of achieving better care and health outcomes. As an NIHR Academic Training Advocate (2015-2021), I have supported allied health, nursing and midwifery clinical academic capacity building nationally, and have extensive experience of supervising and mentoring health professionals across levels, from internships to pre-doctoral to doctoral and post-doctoral, and including a range of nurses and allied health professionals 

As part of our wider engagement work, I have also designed and delivered training to various health and care professionals, including internationally.

• Articles

  • Armitage S, Rapley T, Kolehmainen N, Pennington L, McColl L, Duff C, Brooks R, McAnuff J. Self-Care Interventions for Children and Young People With Neurodisabilities: A Mixed Methods Study of Current Therapy Practice in the United Kingdom. Child: Care, Health & Development 2025, 51(2), e70061.
  • Thornton C, Kolehmainen N, Nazarpour K. Using unsupervised machine learning to quantify physical activity from accelerometry in a diverse and rapidly changing population. PLOS Digital Health 2023, 2(4), e0000220.
  • Thornton C, Lanyi K, Wilkins G, Potter R, Hunter E, Kolehmainen N, Pearson F. Scoping the Priorities and Concerns of Parents: An Infodemiology Study of Posts on Mumsnet and Reddit. Journal of Medical Internet Research 2023, 25, e47849.
  • Kolehmainen N, Thornton C, Craw O, Pearce MS, Kudlek L, Nazarpour K, Cutler L, Van Sluijs E, Rapley T. Physical activity in young children across developmental and health states: the ActiveCHILD study. eClinicalMedicine 2023, 60, 102008.
  • Harbottle V, Arnott B, Gale C, Rowen L, Kolehmainen N. Identifying common health indicators from paediatric core outcome sets: a systematic review with narrative synthesis using the WHO International Classification of Functioning, Health and Disability. BMJ Paediatrics Open 2022, 6(1), e001537.
  • Sykes M, OHalloran E, Mahon L, McSharry J, Allan L, Thomson R, Finch T, Kolehmainen N. Enhancing national audit through addressing the quality improvement capabilities of feedback recipients: a multi-phase intervention development study. Pilot and Feasibility Studies 2022, 8, 143.
  • Armitage S, Rapley T, Pennington L, McAnuff J, McColl E, Kolehmainen N. Advancing cluster randomised trials in children’s therapy: A survey of the acceptability of trial behaviours to therapists and parents . BMC Trials 2022, 23, 958.
  • Duff C, Kolehmainen N, McAnuff J. Specifying current physical therapy practice for paediatric trials: A survey of UK physical therapists. Child: Care, Health & Development 2021, 47(6), 794-804.
  • Brooks R, Lambert C, Coulthard L, Pennington L, Kolehmainen N. Social participation to support good mental health in neurodisability. Child: Care, Health and Development 2021, 47(5), 675-684.
  • Sykes M, Thomson R, Kolehmainen N, Allan L, Finch T. Opportunities to enhance ward audit: a multi-site qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research 2021, 21, 226.
  • Armitage S, McColl E, Kolehmainen N, Rapley T. Describing pre-appointment written materials as an intervention in the context of children’s NHS therapy services: a national survey. Health Expectations 2021, 24(2), 386-398.
  • Powrie B, Copley J, Turpin M, Ziviani J, Kolehmainen N. The meaning of leisure to children and young people with significant physical disabilities: Implications for optimising participation. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2020, 83(2), 67-77.
  • Bray N, Kolehmainen N, McAnuff J, Tanner L, Tuersley L, Beyer F, Grayston A, Wilson D, Edwards RT, Noyes J, Craig D. Powered mobility interventions for very young children with mobility limitations to aid participation and positive development: the EMPoWER evidence synthesis. Health Technology Assessment 2020, 24(50), 1-194.
  • Kolehmainen N, Marshall J, Hislop J, Kay D, Ternent L, Pennington L. Implementing participation-focused services: a study to develop the Method for using Audit and Feedback in Participation Implementation (MAPi). Child: Care, Health and Development 2020, 46(1), 37-45.
  • Sykes M, Thomson R, Kolehmainen N, Allan L, Finch T. Impetus to change: A multi-site qualitative exploration of the national audit of dementia. Implementation Science 2020, 15, 45.
  • Goodwin J, Colver A, Basu A, Crombie S, Howel D, Parr JR, McColl E, Kolehmainen N, Roberts A, Lecouturier J, Smith J, Miller K, Cadwgan J. Understanding frames: A UK survey of parents and professionals regarding the use of standing frames for children with cerebral palsy. Child: Care, Health & Development 2018, 44(2), 195-202.
  • Goodwin J, Lecouturier J, Crombie S, Smith J, Basu A, Colver A, Kolehmainen N, Parr JR, Howel D, McColl E, Roberts A, Miller K, Cadwgan J. Understanding frames: A qualitative study of young people's experiences of using standing frames as part of postural management for cerebral palsy. Child Care, Health and Development 2018, 44(2), 203-211.
  • Goodwin J, Lecouturier J, Basu A, Colver A, Crombie S, Smith J, Howel D, McColl E, Parr JR, Kolehmainen N, Roberts A, Miller K, Cadwgan J. Standing frames for children with cerebral palsy: a mixed-methods feasibility study. Health Technology Assessment 2018, 22(50).
  • Kolehmainen N, McCafferty S, Maniatopoulos G, Le-Couteur A, Vale L, Colver A. What constitutes successful commissioning of transition from children’s to adults’ services for young people with long-term conditions and what are the challenges? An interview study. BMJ Paediatrics Open 2017, 1, e000085.
  • Colquhoun H, Squires J, Kolehmainen N, Fraser C, Grimshaw J. Methods for designing interventions to change healthcare professionals’ behaviour: a systematic review. Implementation Science 2017, 12, 30.
  • Armitage S, Swallow V, Kolehmainen N. Ingredients and change processes in occupational therapy for children: a grounded theory study. Scandinavia Journal of Occupational Therapy 2017, 24(3), 208-213.
  • McAnuff J, Brooks R, Duff C, Quinn M, Marshall J, Kolehmainen N. Improving participation outcomes and interventions in neurodisability: co-designing future research. Child: Care, Health and Development 2017, 43(2), 298-306.
  • Armitage S, McAnuff J, Featherstone J, Kolehmainen N. Implementing better healthcare: using audit and feedback to change therapists' practice. Association of Paediatric Physiotherapists Journal 2016, 7(1), 72-77.
  • Hall A, Finch T, Kolehmainen N, James D. Implementing a video-based intervention to empower staff members in an autism care organization: a qualitative study. BMC Health Services Research 2016, 16, 608.
  • Powrie B, Kolehmainen N, Turpin M, Ziviani J, Copley J. The meaning of leisure for children and young people with physical disabilities: a systematic evidence synthesis. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology 2015, 57(11), 993–1010.
  • Kolehmainen N, Ramsay C, McKee L, Missiuna C, Owen C, Francis J. Participation in physical play and leisure in children with motor impairments: a mixed methods study to generate evidence for developing an intervention. Physical Therapy 2015, 95(10), 1374-1386.
  • McAnuff J, Boyes C, Kolehmainen N. Family-clinician interactions in children's health services: a secondary analysis of occupational therapists' practice descriptions. Health Expectations 2015, 18(6), 2236-2251.
  • Russell D, Novak I, McCauley D, Shikako-Thomas K, Kolehmainen N, D'Costa R, Gorter JW. Developing a Knowledge Translation (KT) Strategy for a Centre of Childhood Disability Research: description of the Process. Scholarly and Research Communication 2015, 7(1), 0105237.
  • Hackett KL, Newton JL, Deane KHO, Rapley T, Deary V, Kolehmainen N, Lendrem DW, Ng W-F. Developing a service user informed intervention to improve participation and ability to perform daily activities in primary Sjӧgren’s syndrome: a mixed methods study protocol. BMJ Open 2014, 4(8), e006264.
  • Kolehmainen N, McAnuff J. "I should have discharged him but I felt guilty": a qualitative investigation of clinicians’ emotions in the context of implementing occupational therapy. Implementation Science 2014, 9, 141.
  • Kolehmainen N, Duncan EAS, Francis J. Clinicians’ actions associated with the successful patient care process: a content analysis of interviews with paediatric occupational therapists. Disability and Rehabilitation 2013, 35(5), 388-396.
  • Kolehmainen N, MacLennan G, Ternent L, Duncan EAS, Duncan EM, Ryan S, McKee L, Francis J. Using shared goal setting to improve access and equity: a mixed methods study of the Good Goals intervention in children’s occupational therapy. Implementation Science 2012, 7(1), 76.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis JJ. Specifying content and mechanisms of change in interventions to change professionals' practice: an illustration from the Good Goals study in occupational therapy. Implementation Science 2012, 7, 100.
  • Kolehmainen N, McKee L, Francis J, Duncan EAS. Beliefs about responsibilities, the aims of therapy, and the structure of the therapy process: a qualitative study of caseload management issues in child health occupational therapy. Child: Care, Health and Development 2012, 38(1), 108-116.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis JJ, Ramsay CR, Owen C, McKee L, Ketelaar M, Rosenbaum P. Participation in physical play and leisure: developing a theory- and evidence-based intervention for children with motor impairments. BMC Pediatrics 2011, 11, 100.
  • Kolehmainen N, Duncan EAS, McKee L, Francis J. Mothers’ perceptions of their children’s occupational therapy processes: a qualitative interview study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2010, 73(5), 192-199.
  • Cook J, Kolehmainen N. Invited commentary on “Methodological issues arising from a pilot RCT investigating the effectiveness of joint protection”. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 2010, 17(12), 654-664.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis J, Duncan EAS, Fraser C. Community professionals' management of client care: a mixed-methods systematic review. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy 2010, 15(1), 47-55.
  • Kolehmainen N, MacLennan G, Francis J, Duncan EAS. Clinicians' caseload management behaviours as explanatory factors in patients' length of time on caseloads: a predictive multilevel study in paediatric community occupational therapy. BMC Health Services Research 2010, 10, 249.
  • Kolehmainen N, Francis J, McKee L. To provide or not to provide treatment: that is the question. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2008, 71(12), 510-523.

• Book Chapters

  • Kolehmainen N. Implementing goal setting in practice. In: Poulsen, A; Ziviani, J; Cuskelly, M, ed. Goal setting and motivation in therapy : engaging with children and parents. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2015, pp.112-119.
  • Russell DJ, Rosenbaum PL, Wright M, Avery LM, Kolehmainen N. Development and validation of the GMFM-66. In: Russell, DJ; Rosenbaum, PL; Wright, M; Avery, LM, ed. Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-66 & GMFM-88) User's Manual. London, UK: Mac Keith Press, 2013.
  • Kolehmainen N, Rosenbaum P, Rosenblum L. Epidemiology: patterns and causes of CP. In: Rosenbaum P and Rosenblum L, ed. Cerebral Palsy: From Diagnosis to Adult Life. London: Mac Keith Press, 2012.

• Letter

  • Kolehmainen N. Neurodevelopmental treatment. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2014, 77(1), 23-23.

• Reports

  • Khan S, Garcia Gonzalez-Moral S, Inskip A, Norman G, Kolehmainen N, Craig D. Medicines Horizon Scanning Annual Report 2020. Newcastle upon Tyne: NIHR Innovation Observatory, 2024. Medicines Horizon Scanning Annual Report.
  • Oparah CI, Eastaugh C, Lanyi K, Hussain A, Woltmann J, Pearson F, Still M, Brush E, Kolehmainen N. Interim Horizon Scanning Report: Identification of Paediatric Neurological Trauma Technologies. Newcastle upon Tyne: NIHR Innovation Observatory, 2023.
  • Kolehmainen N. Making a difference for children, young people and families’ lives in the North East: Recommendations for the next steps In using routinely collected data. 2021.

• Reviews

  • Sykes MJ, McAnuff J, Kolehmainen N. When is audit and feedback effective in dementia care? A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies 2017, 79, 27-35.
  • Shikako-Thomas K, Kolehmainen N, Ketelaar M, Bult M, Law M. Promoting Leisure Participation as Part of Health and Well-Being in Children and Youth With Cerebral Palsy. Journal of Child Neurology 2014, 29(8), 1125-1133.