Senior Children's Physiotherapist

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust; Torquay; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in the UK is seeking a Senior Children's Physiotherapist to join their team. The role involves providing high-standard physiotherapy to children and their families, working collaboratively with various healthcare professionals. Ideal candidates will have a Physiotherapy Degree or Graduate Diploma, registration with HCPC, and experience in paediatric care. This position offers a salary between £38,682 and £46,580 per annum, pro rata, and will require engaging with children on their developmental levels. A Disclosure and Barring Service check is necessary.

Qualifications

• Experience of assessing and treating normal gait and developmental variants.
• Knowledge of child development and management of long‑term neurological disability.
• Ability to engage and treat children at their developmental level.

Responsibilities

• Assess and treat children with physiotherapeutic needs.
• Work within a team to train staff on children's physiotherapy needs.
• Manage own caseload, including note‑keeping and appointments.

Skills

Paediatric experience

Communication skills

Assessment and treatment planning

Education

Physiotherapy Degree or Graduate Diploma

Registration with HCPC

Job description

Senior Children's Physiotherapist

The closing date is 28 December 2025.

Children and Family Health Devon is the place to be! We are developing an innovative, integrated model of children's community services and looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our friendly and dedicated locality and county-wide professional teams.

As a large community service, you will be joining a strong, enthusiastic and supportive group of professionals.

You will provide a high standard of physiotherapy to children, their families and carers, acting as a source of expertise on the assessment and management of children who have physiotherapeutic needs within the Child Development Centre, Paediatric Physiotherapy, Developmental, MSK, Neuromuscular and Neurological care pathways.

Working within a team to provide training with an aim to support patients, carers, GPs, consultants, other health care professionals, students and those working within social care, the independent and voluntary sectors to gain a better understanding of the physiotherapy needs of children and young people.

Important Information Regarding Service Changes We are currently entering into a formal consultation process to move all Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) staff to a single provider. As part of this process, staff currently employed by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust will transfer to Devon Partnership NHS Trust on 1 April 2026. Please note that this may result in some differences in recruitment documentation and processes during this transition period.

Main duties of the job

To assess child and parent/carer understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid formal consent and jointly agreed goals. To work within the legal framework and Trust policy regarding consent to treatment for minors.

To work with children who may have significant barriers to understanding and need advanced communication methods to impart and understand communication, such as signing, symbols, gesture, electronic communication aids. An ability to use positive behavioural support approaches to working with children with challenging behaviour.

As part of the Children and Family Health Devon Physiotherapy Team the post holder will carry out their work at John Parkes Unit, within local Special Schools, and within the community. The post holder will work closely with Child Health staff and TSDFT Physiotherapy.

Use their specialist knowledge of normal child development and pathology to assess, develop a rationale for treatment, advise and devise therapeutic support plans; and deliver information and treatment in a child‑focused and family‑friendly way.

Will determine priorities for work area, balancing other patient related and professional demands, ensuring that these remain in accordance with those of the service as a whole.

About us

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) comprises an alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon, including:

• Torbay and South Devon FT
• Royal Devon and Exeter FT
• Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust
• Livewell South West

CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health which are provided by Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust and Devon Partnership Trust. We are working closely with other organisations and providers to ensure we deliver locality and county‑wide based integrated access to all of our services, based on the i‑Thrive Framework, in response to consultation with our service users and communities. Our integrated care and treatment has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.

“We would like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to listen carefully in a non‑patronising and non‑judgemental way. When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and without pressure.”

Why work with us

Job responsibilities

• Physiotherapy Degree or Graduate Diploma
• Management of long‑term neurological disability
• Being able to assess and treat children and to play at their developmental level
• To be able to delegate tasks and supervise non‑registered or junior staff as well as seeking supervision and escalating situations appropriately to the team lead or manager

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification.

Person Specification

Essential and Desirable

• Physiotherapy Degree or Graduate Diploma
• Registration with HCPC
• Sound knowledge of child development
• Extensive paediatric or neurology experience 2 years post graduate
• Postgraduate training in paediatrics or neurology
• Clinical supervisor for physiotherapy students
• Have experience of assessing and treating normal gait and developmental variants, neurological and orthopaedic conditions
• Have experience of hydrotherapy treatment skills and or rebound therapy treatment skills

Esseential

• Being able to assess and treat children and to play at their developmental level. To be able to engage children, families and supporting staff in understanding and delivering a physiotherapy management plan
• To be able to analyse assessment findings, and develop goals, a treatment plan and appropriate outcome measures able to engage children, families and supporting staff in understanding and delivering a physiotherapy management plan
• To manage own caseload, note‑keeping, correspondence calendar and appointments

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.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum pro rata