Specialist Children's Occupational Therapist

Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a passionate Specialist Children's Occupational Therapist to join a dynamic team at a purpose-built Child Development Centre. This role offers the opportunity to work with children facing complex challenges, including physical disabilities and autism, in a supportive environment. You will be responsible for managing a diverse caseload, mentoring junior colleagues, and implementing evidence-based interventions. The organization prides itself on its outstanding service and commitment to staff development, offering flexible working options to accommodate your lifestyle. Join a team dedicated to making a difference in children's lives and enhancing their functional abilities.

Benefits

Flexible Working Options

Professional Development Opportunities

Supportive Work Environment

Employee Assistance Program

Qualifications

• Experience working with children in community settings is essential.
• Post-graduate experience in pediatrics and supervising junior staff is required.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of children with various needs effectively.
• Provide mentorship to junior staff and ensure high-quality OT delivery.

Skills

Empathy

Communication

Caseload Management

Clinical Risk Assessment

Education

Occupational Therapy Degree

Health Professions Council Registration

Evidence of CPD Activities

Tools

Assessment Tools

Therapeutic Intervention Techniques

Job description

Specialist Children's Occupational Therapist

Band 6

Main area: Occupational Therapy

Grade: Band 6

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week

Job ref: 293-CCS-0641

Site: Hackney Ark

Town: London

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 06/01/2025 23:59

Job overview

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist who has experience of working with children in a community setting, or has other relevant experience but is looking for a change in role to join our large and dynamic Occupational Therapy team, based at the Hackney Ark. The Ark is a purpose-built Child Development Centre.

We offer a band 6 internal rotations within our team which will allow you to develop in-depth skills in working with children and young people with complex physical disabilities, early years, Autism, and school-based occupational therapy.

You will hold a mixed caseload of children, including those with physical disabilities, coordination disorders, autism, and developmental delay. The children will be seen in the context relevant to their functional difficulties, so visits to home and school will be required. The team works proactively with schools and MDT colleagues to meet children’s needs efficiently and effectively. The service offers training packages to schools and early years settings, as well as direct treatment and advice.

Working hours: 37.5 per week. We offer flexible working - we would also consider term time only or part-time applicants.

Main duties of the job

• The post holder will be responsible for the efficient and effective delivery of Occupational Therapy to a caseload of children. This includes effectively and independently managing their caseload and OT provision to any allocated schools.
• The post holder will provide mentorship to more junior occupational therapy colleagues, therapy assistants, and student occupational therapists within the department as agreed with the Team Manager, and will be responsible for allocating work to these staff. Effective appraisal, supervision, and mentorship skills are a requirement of the post.
• The post holder will ensure effective assessment, goal setting, and use appropriate outcome measures to identify and show change in occupational performance. The post holder will identify and implement evidence-based therapeutic interventions for children, which will include children with physical disabilities, autistic spectrum disorder, coordination, and sensory processing difficulties.

Working for our organisation

Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a high-performing and flourishing organisation serving the population of Hackney, East London, The City, and beyond.

We are extremely proud of the fact that Homerton Hospital has recently attained the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our integrated Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community health services for its local population and a range of specialist services for a wider group of patients. In addition, the Trust manages services out of St Leonard's Hospital and the Mary Seacole Nursing Home.

Homerton aims to ensure equality and value diversity, and we are committed to inclusion for all of our staff. This is reflected in our policies, procedures, and People Plan. All of our staff are expected to embody our Trust values at all times.

We are also committed, through our Fair Recruitment Standards, to ensuring all applicants are treated fairly.

Homerton has a proud tradition of supporting and developing its staff, including its well-regarded and valued nursing community, and all staff are able to take advantage of a great range of benefits.

Homerton is proud to have been included on the HSJ & Nursing Times Best Places to Work list.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachments on this page.

Person specification

Experience

• Experience of working with children
• Experience of working in a community occupational therapy setting
• Experience of equipment provision
• Experience of multi-disciplinary working
• Experience of developing and providing training
• Post-graduate experience working in paediatrics
• Experience of housing adaptation and modification
• Experience of supervising junior staff and/or student placement supervision

Education / Qualifications

• Recognised Occupational Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent leading to registration with HPC
• Health Professions Council – Licence to Practice.
• Evidence of CPD activities supporting evidence-based practice and development of skills relevant to the role.
• Registered Member of College of Occupational Therapists
• Member of CYPF or other relevant specialist sections
• Evidence of successful completion of post-graduate specialist short courses equivalent to Diploma relevant to the role
• Experience of supervising junior staff/student OT

Skills / Abilities

• Highly developed empathy.
• Ability to communicate and negotiate with distressed families.
• Ability to manage own caseload independently.
• Able to prioritise clinical risk and need to plan work of self and others.

Knowledge

• Knowledge/understanding of confidentiality issues.
• In-depth knowledge of national policies, guidelines, and procedures relevant to children’s occupational therapy including safeguarding and education health care plans (EHCP)
• Knowledge of occupational performance relating to paediatrics and ability to identify appropriate tools to measure this
• Knowledge of when and how to complete an upper limb and postural assessment.
• Knowledge around current evidence base including for children with sensory processing, coordination, and physical disabilities.

Trust Values

• Understand and Demonstrate Trust Values

General Guidance for Applicants

Please ensure that you read the "Guidance Notes On Submitting An Application" under "Additional Documentation" before completing your application.

Please note: we reserve the right to expire vacancies prior to the advertised closing date once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

We are committed to achieving equality and inclusion at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and we respect and value the diversity and differences of our patients and our people, ensuring everyone is enabled to thrive, feels a sense of belonging, and is able to be their authentic self. We offer a range of flexible working options that enable you to balance your work and personal life, including part-time, compressed hours, remote working, and job-shares.

If you are interested in joining our team, please let us know your preferred working pattern in your application, and we will consider all requests for flexible working and try to accommodate them wherever possible.

Please note that secondment arrangements will be considered for any fixed-term positions, with the agreement of the existing line manager.

We are committed to equal opportunities and have been approved as a Disability Confident Employer.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.