Paediatric Occupational Therapist - CYPIT West

Integrated Care System; Newbury; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a leading healthcare Trust as a Paediatric Occupational Therapist and help shape the lives of children and young people in Berkshire. In this flexible and supportive role, you will deliver tailored therapy plans, engage with families, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams in an outstanding environment that prioritizes wellbeing and professional development. Whether you're an established Band 6 OT or a Band 5 looking to progress, this role offers the chance to make a genuine impact in a vibrant community.

Benefits

27 days annual leave

Excellent learning and career development opportunities

Flexible working options

Access to wellbeing tools and services

Generous maternity, paternity, and adoption leave

Discounts at popular retailers

Qualifications

• Qualified Occupational Therapist registered with HCPC.
• Post qualification experience with Children and Young People required.
• Ability to demonstrate understanding of diverse needs of children.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of children aged 0-19 across various settings.
• Deliver assessments and provide individualized interventions.
• Collaborate with families and education staff for effective care.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Clinical knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Professional Qualification in Occupational Therapy

Completion of Sensory Integration level 1

Job description

Paediatric Occupational Therapist - CYPIT West

Would you like to progress your Paediatric Occupational Therapy career within a flexible and supportive multi-disciplinary community team?

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Occupational Therapist to join our amazing Children and Young People's Integrated Therapy Team (CYPIT). Perhaps you're an experienced Band 5 OT ready to progress, or you might be an established Band 6 OT who will appreciate this varied, flexible role in a welcoming team, based in Newbury or Reading.

Our CYPIT service supports children and young people from birth to 19 years of age across Berkshire.As a Children's OT, your role will involve:

• Managing a diverse caseload supporting children and young people in mainstream schools and specialist education settings and specialist resources
• Co-production of therapy plans with our families and partners.
• Helping shape the universal and targeted training offered to families and schools to enable effective self-management
• Planning and management of your own school-age caseload and service delivery using an impact-based model of clinical decision making

There will be opportunities to attend training sessions and develop your knowledge and skills within the wider school age therapy team. You'll also benefit from our clinical excellence forums and Trust-wide OT networks, with tailored training to help you thrive.

Our Trust is rated "Outstanding" by the CQC, who praise our positive supportive culture. We prioritise wellbeing and promote a great work-life balance.

Main duties of the job

• Hold and manage a varied caseload of children and young people aged 0-19 across mainstream, special school, and specialist resource settings
• Deliver assessments, plan and provide individualised interventions, and review progress using an impact-based approach
• Collaborate with families, education staff, and the wider MDT to ensure joined-up, effective care
• Provide direct therapy as well as advice, support, and training to others supporting the child
• Maintain accurate records, contribute to care planning, and share updates with families and professionals
• Participate in regular supervision, peer support groups, and service-wide CPD and training events
• Receive mentorship and development support if joining as a Band 5, with a clear pathway to Band 6
• Represent the service positively and work as part of a compassionate, forward-thinking team

Our core hours are Monday - Friday, 9-5. We have a full time role available, but also welcome part time applications from 22.5 hours.

Applications are processed as they are received - we recommend you apply as soon as possible as vacancies can close early.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust site

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

• Qualified Occupational Therapist registered with HCPC
• Post qualification experience working with Children and Young People
• Driver with access to a vehicle (or equivalent ability to travel between multiple sites efficiently)

For further information about the roles available, please see attached example job description and person specification.

We encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to contact Catherine Moulds on [e-mail] who will be delighted to help.

Please note, we are processing applications as they are submitted so may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date. Therefore, please submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

• Professional Qualification E.g. Professional knowledge acquired through degree/ diploma supplemented by post graduate diploma specialist training, experience, short courses plus further specialist Training
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of the diverse needs of children and young people.
• Clinical educators' course
• Member of relevant clinical specialist interest group
• Completion of Sensory Integration level 1
• Able to demonstrate required clinical knowledge of up to date children's Occupational Therapy interventions and service issues

Training

• Recognised CPD in area of clinical specialism
• Able to demonstrate understanding of a neurodevelopmental approach to the management of CYP
• Experience with the assessment and provision of a range of adaptive equipment to support children and young people with a diverse range of cognitive and physical difficulties
• Post graduate clinical experience and working knowledge in specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapy with evidence of experience and/or specific training with regard to Sensory Processing, Handwriting, ADL, etc.
• Experience of supervision and training of junior therapists/ Assistant staff and/or other professionals
• Willingness to undertake leadership and management training and development

Previous Experience

• Minimum 1 years post qualification experience in adults or paediatrics
• Experience of working with families from a wide variety of backgrounds including age and ethnicity
• Experience of working with CYP with sensory processing difficulties including ASD, and supporting CYP with physical and/or learning difficulties

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Evidence of a value system which puts the child at the heart of actions
• Evidence of an understanding of the diverse needs of children and young people
• Able to demonstrate a clinical knowledge and familiarisation with a range of standardised and non-standardised assessment tools relevant to occupational therapy interventions
• Able to use IT to support and innovate clinical development
• Evidence of recent relevant CPD to a specialist level
• Excellent, succinct written and verbal communication skills
• Knowledge of current professional and statutory issues
• Ability to work across professional boundaries to effect seamless family care
• Ability to self motivate
• Ability to act as a role model and leader to others, in adopting change
• Evidence of experience with the assessment and provision of a range of adaptive equipment to promote function and independence
• Evidence of an understanding and application of Care Planning approaches, and evidence of a belief in its value
• Experience in managing less senior staff
• Ability to work in a calm and confident manner in stressful situations
• Ability to work successfully as part of a multi-disciplinary team

Additional Requirements

• Car Driver with access to a car and willingness to work across Berkshire, as required
• Good interpersonal skills

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.

West Berkshire Community Hospital, Newbury or Erlegh House, Reading

West Berkshire Community Hospital, Newbury or Erlegh House, Reading