Children's Occupational Therapist

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust; Watford; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Flexible working

Employee Assistance Programme

Cycle to Work

NHS Discounts

Health and wellbeing support

Occupational Pension Scheme

Enhanced sick pay

Job summary

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust invites applications for Children's Occupational Therapists to join the CYPT service across west Hertfordshire, including Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and Watford. The role supports an 0-25 years caseload in a collaborative, innovative team.

Newly qualified or experienced OTs seeking specialist development will be supported through supervision, CPD, and opportunities to work across universal, targeted and specialist service tiers.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration is required.
• Postgraduate training or experience relevant to children's OT is desirable.
• Membership of RCOT Special Interest Group is beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Provide OT services to children and young people in universal, targeted and specialist tiers.
• Manage a 0–25 years caseload and contribute to integrated care with health, education and social care partners.
• Collaborate with education and multidisciplinary teams to deliver assessments and interventions.
• Engage in supervision, CPD activities and training to continually develop skills.

Skills

Good communication

Clinical reasoning

Organisational skills

Team player

Education

Degree in Occupational Therapy

Job description

If you are a newly qualified Occupational Therapist (OT) or an experienced OT looking to develop specialist skills in children's occupational therapy, then Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (HCT) has posts that could be just right for you. Due to internal progression, Children and Young People's Therapies (CYPT) are pleased to be able to offer an opportunity for full time and part time Children's Occupational Therapists to be based in the West part of Hertfordshire, ie. Hemel Hempstead; St Albans; and in Watford.

We are looking for dynamic, enthusiastic and creative Occupational Therapists to be a part of our well-established teams. You will be joining an innovative and agile CYPT Service, that is committed to delivering high quality intervention, and to supporting the development and delivery of the new Experts at Hand model across Hertfordshire.

HCT provides integrated Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county. Our CYPT integrated service provides opportunities for collaborative working, joint training and shared learning amongst each profession. Our service is jointly commissioned by health, social care and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings, and at home.

*Proposed interview date: 3rd November 2026*

Main duties of the job

Our integrated service provides opportunities for collaborative working, joint training and shared learning amongst each profession. We work closely with colleagues in education, with well-established relationships.

The successful applicant will be expected to hold an 0-25 years caseload, providing a service which meets both the health and education Occupational Therapy needs of CYP, providing interventions in a variety of settings, e.g. mainstream settings, specialist provisions, pre-school settings and clinics.Ideally applicants should have post graduate experience/training in assessment and treatment of clients with neurological conditions; learning disability; neurodiverse conditions. We have a Practice Development Lead with dedicated time to support and upskill new band 5-6 staff. Training will be provided in areas where further up skilling and development is required.

We can offer:

• Regular group supervision, managerial supervision, a well-established appraisal system, and an award winning preceptorship programme for newly qualified therapists
• CPD opportunities, including in service masterclasses
• Opportunities to develop leadership skills and to supervise less experienced members of staff
• Opportunities to work alongside other therapists/assistants to deliver intervention to children/young people requiring specialist support
• An initial induction period where you will have the opportunity to observe and shadow your team.

About us

We're delighted that you're exploring a career with HCT. As an organisation, we're committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and rewarding work environment -- one where you'll feel valued and empowered to make a real difference.

At HCT, we put patients, their families, and carers at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is simple yet powerful: Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities. Our dedicated staff take pride in being Pioneering, Caring, and Inclusive, working together to turn this vision into reality.

Working with us comes with a host of benefits designed to support your wellbeing and work-life balance:

• Generous annual leave(27 days rising to 33 with long service)
• Flexible working arrangements to help balance personal/ professional life, including up to 5 days of carers leave (pro rata)
• Employee Assistance Programmeoffering 24/7 confidential support for personal or work-related issues
• Cycle to Work and Car Lease Schemes
• Blue Light Card and NHS Discounts
• Health and wellbeing support, including free flu jabs, Physiotherapy referrals, eye care vouchers, etc
• Occupational Pension Schemewith competitive benefits
• Enhanced sick payabove statutory entitlements

We celebrate diversity and actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds, ages, and communities to apply.

You've taken a fantastic first step by considering HCT. We're excited about the possibility of welcoming you to our team and taking the next step in your journey with us.

Job responsibilities

Please see Job Description attached, which details the responsibilities within this post.

Childrens Occupational Therapy is based on a 3 Tier model of service delivery, with provision at Universal, Targeted and Specialist tiers.

Successful candidates will need to be enthusiastic and motivated. Good communication, clinical reasoning and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player and have the ability to champion the needs of your patients.

You will be joining a well-established, supportive team of therapists and assistants. CYP Therapies at HCT pride ourselves on the support we provide to staff. Please see below comments from a current member of the team:

I love working in CYPT/HCT - everyone in the team is super dedicated. There is strong management support, but also space for being flexible and creative to meet childrens needs; innovation & good practice is valued and encouraged. I enjoy & appreciate the robust supervision structures, training in supervision & coaching, and the many opportunities for personal development and learning, including for example in-house training days and tutorials. I have worked in many teams across Hertfordshire, all without exception friendly and welcoming. There is an ethos of peer support and encouragement & sharing learning; everyone works hard but there is a sense of belonging and always time for a quick chat and plenty of laughs. I feel valued here and I value my lovely colleagues and the fabulous children & young people we work with.

If you have any questions at all or you would like to come and visit us, please do contact us - we are only too happy to help and would love to tell you more about our Service.

Applicants wanting to work full time or part time will be considered. A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

In addition to the basic salary, this post attracts a High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of basic salary subject to a minimum payment of £1,604 and a maximum payment of £2,270 per annum pro rata (pro rata where applicable and dependent on base location)

Whilst it is not a legal requirement, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all its staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.

Word versions of documents are available if needed to allow for any adaptations to be made i.e. font, colour, background, convert to Read Aloud.

HCT will prioritise recruitment of workers living in England under the new immigration rules for care workers effective from 9 April 2025. Employers must first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. This ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so.

The use of AI is monitored and if you have used it then you are required to declare this, as well as what type of AI tools you have used and for what purpose. We reserve the right to further test your individual knowledge and skills in relation to the requirements for the post through robust and thorough interview and assessment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Registered to practice with Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC)
• Describe relevant post graduate training or experience relevant to working with as a children's occupational therapist
• Describe what relevant continuing professional development undertaken to maintain and develop own specialist knowledge and expertise.
• Membership of RCOT Special Interest Group

Other

• Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Knowledge and Experience

• Describe your experience of working with children using occupational therapy approaches, and include types of assessments and interventions related to working with children.
• Give examples of how you have used typical development to inform your practice.
• Describe how you have analysed assessment results to formulate treatment plans, including the use of "SMART" targets, recommended suitable equipment, taking into consideration client, social and environmental factors.
• How have you demonstrated effective multi-disciplinary/agency working skills.
• Explain how you have involved patients in decision making around their care and treatment planning and ensure that the care provided is safe.
• Describe how you have supported or worked with therapy assistants or student OTs on placement
• Describe your experience in training the wider children's workforce, parents and carers and junior colleagues
• What is your understanding of the Special Educational Needs Assessment process related to supporting children within special and mainstream schools and contributing to their Education, Health and Care Plans

Skills and Abilities

• Give examples of how you have adapted your communication skills both oral and written to meet the needs of the recipient.
• Tell us how you prioritise and manage a varied caseload? Share any tools or strategies you use.
• How do you ensure you have recorded your interventions effectively for all CYP? What systems and processes have you used?

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£32,073 to £48,117 a yearpro rata per annum