Community Therapy Assistant

NHS; Sefton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading children's health service provider is seeking a part-time Community Therapy Assistant for their Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy team. This role involves supporting experienced therapists to work with children aged 0-19 years facing developmental and neurological challenges. Located at the Ainsdale Centre for Health and Wellbeing in North Sefton, the role requires an individual who can work independently, manage a patient caseload, and provide high standards of care in community settings. Opportunities for training and development are included.

Qualifications

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.
• Prepared to work towards NVQ level II.
• Experience in a caring environment with children.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the management and treatment of referred children.
• Deliver individual therapy programmes under therapist supervision.
• Manage a caseload as delegated by therapists.

Skills

Communication skills

Therapeutic handling

Ability to work independently

Education

GCSE level or equivalent

NVQ level II or equivalent experience

Job description

Community Therapy Assistant

Closing date is 28 January 2026

An exciting opportunity for a part‑time (22.5 hours) Therapy Assistant in the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy team at Alder Hey Sefton Community team.

The successful candidate will support experienced Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists to assess and deliver intervention to children aged 0‑19 years with functional, developmental, and neurological difficulties in community settings across North Sefton, based at Ainsdale Centre for Health and Wellbeing. You will be an integral member of the Community Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Team with regular supervision, training, and development opportunities.

About us

Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care to over 275,000 children and young people each year. In addition to the hospital site located in the West Derby area of Liverpool, Alder Hey has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients' homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man.

We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We're also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.

As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.

Sponsorship – We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

Main duties of the job

• Assist the therapists to deliver management and treatment of the referred children.
• Follow agreed treatment plans, providing a high standard of paediatric physiotherapy and occupational therapy and maintaining liaison with the therapist regarding children’s management.
• Provide a high standard of paediatric physiotherapy and occupational therapy working without direct supervision, following treatment plans set out by the therapist.
• Assist in the provision of a high standard of care in a variety of community settings, working with children aged 0‑19 years with neuro‑disabilities, developmental delay and learning disabilities.

Communication Skills

• Use effective verbal and non‑verbal communication tools to convey treatment programmes to patients who may have barriers such as visual impairment, hearing impairment, severe learning difficulties or non‑first‑language speakers.
• Respond to questions from parents, carers and other agencies appropriately but recognise the need to report and refer back to the therapist as necessary.
• Contribute to patient care development by attending relevant meetings.
• Provide information related to the child and their therapy programme to parents, carers and education staff.
• Provide equipment information, handover, training and support to parents and carers.
• Adapt communication style and approach to ensure information is shared appropriately.
• Identify and arrange additional support for parents and carers where there are potential barriers to communication such as requesting an interpreter.

Planning and Organising Skills

• Manage and prioritise own patient caseload as delegated by the physiotherapist or occupational therapist.
• Balance work and other life needs through consultation, open communication and involvement of all team members.
• Comply with risk management responsibilities as required, referring to the current Risk Management strategy.

Responsibility for Patient/Client Care

• Assist the therapist in the rehabilitation of patients using delegated exercises and manual physical therapy treatments.
• Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent, and work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent.
• Deliver individual therapy programmes as provided by the physiotherapist or occupational therapist and instruct patients and carers in the use of these programmes.
• Liaise with the therapist regarding patient care, highlighting any variations to expected outcomes.
• Work without direct supervision in clinics, patients’ homes, nurseries and schools, assessing progress and reporting back to the therapist.
• Perform skilled support work to treat patients individually or in groups without direct supervision, making decisions relating to clinical presentation.
• Visit children in homes, schools and other settings, instructing parents and carers on specialist equipment and carrying out safety checks.
• Organise repair and maintenance of therapy equipment with guidance from the physiotherapist and occupational therapist.
• Ensure that therapy equipment and aids used by patients are safe and that patients and carers are competent in their use.

Responsibility for Policy/Service Development

• Know and comply with organisational and departmental policies and procedures.
• Be aware of Health and Safety aspects of your work and implement any policies that may improve safety, including prompt recording of accidents and incidents and participation in risk assessments.

Responsibility for Financial & Physical Resources

• Monitor and order clinical and non‑clinical supplies for the department and participate in the ordering system.
• Carry out safety checks of therapy equipment and report and deal with faults accordingly.
• Be responsible for departmental administrative arrangements as required (e.g., booking meeting rooms).
• Comply with the equipment policy in terms of distribution, monitoring and recording.

Responsibility for Human Resources

• Actively participate in the PDP process to identify personal development plans and training needs.
• Monitor and develop own performance, aiming to achieve and maintain a high standard.
• Be accountable for all aspects of own work.
• Participate in in‑service training and contribute to the training programme.
• Attend mandatory training required by the Trust, including Child Protection training and work in accordance with national guidelines.

Responsibility for Information Resources

• Maintain accurate, comprehensive and up‑to‑date documentation, in line with legal and departmental requirements.
• Receive, transmit, store and retrieve information verbally or electronically, with good keyboard skills.

Responsibility for Research and Development

• Participate in audits and surveys within the department as required by the Trust.

Physical Skills

• Moving and handling patients.
• Assisting patients to move functionally.
• Supporting patients while walking.
• Therapeutic handling.
• Resisted exercise.
• Using and adjustment of specialist equipment (e.g., standing frames).
• Pushing wheelchairs and specialist equipment.
• Working at a variety of different heights often on the floor.
• Working in awkward positions.
• Physical ability to demonstrate activities and exercise programme.
• Fine manual dexterity during therapy programmes.

Person Specification

Education and Training

• Educated to GCSE level or equivalent.
• Be prepared to work towards NVQ level II.
• NVQ II or equivalent experience.

Experience

• Evidence of working in a caring environment with children.
• Experience with children with a disability/learning disability.
• Experience working in a community setting.

Knowledge

• Ability to recognise physical changes in the children’s condition.
• Understand the concept of confidentiality.
• Ability to keep accurate and legible patient records and statistical information.
• Ability to carry out agreed treatment plans under the direction of a qualified therapist.
• Knowledge of the role of a physiotherapist and occupational therapist within a paediatric community setting.
• Basic knowledge of childhood conditions that can affect the child’s movement and development.
• Be able to recognise the differing needs of individual children.
• Evidence of attendance on relevant courses (e.g. child protection, moving and handling).
• Basic understanding of normal child development.

Skills

• Work with minimal supervision / unsupervised.
• Physical ability to carry out any therapeutic handling required.
• Evidence of good communication skills both written and verbal, enabling the post holder to communicate with professionals, carers and children and those who may have communication difficulties.
• Proven commitment to ongoing training.

Personal Attributes

• Proven ability to compliment the dynamics of the existing team.
• The ability to work flexibly.
• Current driving licence.
• Access to vehicle for business purposes.
• Ability to travel between locations in the community.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and will require a Disclosure and Barring Service check to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Address

Ainsdale Centre for Health and Wellbeing