Occupational Therapist

Academics Ltd; Chichester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Academics Ltd in West Drayton, West London, seeks a Specialist/Advanced Occupational Therapist (Band 6/7 equivalent) with a strong interest in Sensory Integration to join its therapy team.

You will work with Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants to provide high-quality, evidence-based support to children and young people with complex needs within an educational setting.

Qualifications

• Degree in Occupational Therapy (undergraduate or postgraduate).
• Current HCPC registration.
• Significant Band 6 level experience with autism and complex needs.
• Experience supervising or mentoring junior staff.
• Excellent written and verbal communication for EHCPs and reviews.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and clinical supervision to the OT team.
• Oversee operational delivery and clinical governance of the OT service.
• Assist with effective allocation of resources to maximise impact.
• Mentor Therapy Assistants and support ongoing professional growth.

Skills

Clinical supervision

Mentor junior staff

Clinical reasoning

Sensory Integration

Education

Occupational Therapy degree

Job description

An independent special school in West Drayton, West London is looking for a passionate, proactive and highly skilled Specialist/Advanced Occupational Therapist (Band 6/7 equivalent) with a strong interest in Sensory Integration (SI), or proven experience in this area, to join its supportive multidisciplinary therapy team.

You will work alongside Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants to provide high-quality, evidence-based support to children and young people with complex needs.

About the Role

An independent special school in West Drayton, West London is looking for a passionate, proactive and highly skilled Specialist/Advanced Occupational Therapist (Band 6/7 equivalent) with a strong interest in Sensory Integration (SI), or proven experience in this area, to join its supportive multidisciplinary therapy team.

You will work alongside Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants to provide high-quality, evidence-based support to children and young people with complex needs.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide effective leadership, support and high-quality clinical supervision to members of the Occupational Therapy team.
• Take responsibility for the operational delivery and clinical governance of the Occupational Therapy service.
• Assist with effective allocation of resources to ensure the therapy team has maximum impact.
• Mentor and develop junior Occupational Therapists and Therapy Assistants, supporting their ongoing professional growth.

Clinical Expertise & Caseload Management

• Manage a specialist caseload of children and young people with autism, severe learning difficulties and complex neurodevelopmental needs.
• Complete evidence-based Occupational Therapy and Sensory Integration assessments and interventions.
• Apply strong clinical reasoning to develop holistic student profiles, recommend environmental adaptations and support the development of functional life skills.
• Ensure clinical recommendations are translated into practical strategies that school staff can confidently implement within the classroom and wider school environment.

The Ideal Candidate

• An experienced mentor with a proven ability to supervise, support and develop junior colleagues and Therapy Assistants.
• A confident practitioner with strong clinical reasoning skills and knowledge of Sensory Integration, with the ability to turn complex clinical recommendations into practical strategies for the classroom.
• Adaptable, resilient and confident working within a busy and evolving educational setting.
• Interested in or experienced with Sensory Integration, ideally with relevant postgraduate training, CPD certification or demonstrable specialist knowledge.

Essential Requirements

• A recognised undergraduate or postgraduate Degree in Occupational Therapy.
• Current HCPC registration.
• Significant experience working at Band 6 equivalent level with children and young people with autism, severe learning difficulties and complex neurodevelopmental needs.
• Demonstrable experience providing clinical supervision, line management or mentorship to junior staff or Therapy Assistants.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience producing high-quality clinical advice, reports and recommendations for EHCPs and annual reviews.

Salary will be determined by the successful candidate's qualifications and relevant experience, and will be in accordance with the client's pay policy.