Biography

Simon Leadley is a lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Monash University. Simon is accredited with a teaching status of Fellowship (FHEA) AdvanceHE. He completed his Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in 1999. Simon has worked as an occupational therapist in a diverse range of fields including: acute/rehabilitation hospital and community physical settings; vocational rehabilitation, ergonomics and chronic pain rehabilitation, and mental health settings (in-patient forensic, and community recovery), and including senior clinical leadership roles. Simon completed a masters in occupational science, with AUT in 2018, and was awarded a scholarship to complete his doctoral study, in occupational science, that he completed in 2023. Both studies used qualitative (case study) methodology, and focused on how poverty influences children’s patterns of and participation in occupations, with the PhD extending this to consider the implications for children’s potential and wellbeing. He has published in national and international peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and has delivered presentations and posters at conferences in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Research interests

Simon’s research interests include poverty, public/population health (including climate action), mental health, recovery and trauma informed care approaches, and the role of occupational science and occupational therapy, as part of a transdisciplinary approach, to resolving issues such as poverty. He has a particular interest in the ways poverty influences children’s patterns of (habits, routines, roles) and participation in occupations, and implications this has for children’s potential and wellbeing.

Community service

Simon is a member of both the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Occupational Therapy Associations. He is an peer-reviewer for the New Zealand Journal of Occupational Therapy. He is a member of Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Aotearoa NZ. He is a member of the Monash University Ethics Committee and is the Early Research Career (ECR) Rep for the School of Primary and Allied Health Care. Simon is also a member of the OT Academics Network Centre for Mental Health Learning (CMHL) Victoria.

Supervision interests

Simon has supervised two masters students in Aotearoa NZ, and is currently supervising an honours students within the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) at Monash University. These projects have included:

1. Job satisfaction: What are the factors influencing satisfaction for physical health occupational therapists working in rural New Zealand? (Completed 2022, Otago Polytechnic, NZ)
2. How does trauma impact on adults’ ability to obtain and sustain employment? (Completed 2022, Otago Polytechnic, NZ)
3. Session by Session (SbyS) Therapy: Clinician, consumer, and clinic experiences of a single session model. (Current Honours student Monash University)

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):