Specialist Children's Occupational Therapist - Harrogate

NHS; Harrogate; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider in Harrogate is seeking a skilled Occupational Therapist to join their team. You will work autonomously, managing a caseload of children with complex health needs, providing assessments, interventions, and collaborating with families and professionals. The role requires a Diploma/BSc in Occupational Therapy and current registration with HCPC. This permanent, part-time position offers a salary ranging from £38,682 to £46,580 annually.

Benefits

Employee Assistance Programme

Counselling service

Fast-track Physiotherapy service

Staff Recognition Awards

Qualifications

• Must have a valid UK driving licence.
• Ongoing professional development in area of specialism required.
• Experience in working with children with complex needs essential.

Responsibilities

• Provide occupational therapy to children and young people.
• Conduct assessments and implement intervention programmes.
• Collaborate with families, schools, and other professionals.

Skills

Paediatric occupational therapy practice experience

Experience of working within a community setting

Multidisciplinary team collaboration

Knowledge of current paediatric practice

Education

Diploma/BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy

Registration with Health Care Professional Council

Job description

Job summary

1. To work as part of an interdisciplinary team in providing and contributing to the development of children's occupational needs.

2. To be autonomously responsible for a caseload of children with complex and multiple needs.

3. To provide occupational therapy assessment, intervention and evaluation for children requiring inpatient care, or within clinic or community settings and within local authority targeted provisions.

4. To undertake complex clinic, community and school based assessments with intervention programmes that have a focus on improving occupational performance and maximising participation

5. To work within allocated special schools that serve children with complex health and care needs and complete postural and functional assessments to maximise the child's occupational performance and participation.

6. To work closely with children, families, carers and colleagues in partnership agencies, to identify individualised and meaningful goals that are measurable and achievable.

7. To plan and implement individual and/or group interventions in collaboration with everyone involved, but with the child's health and well being needs and wishes at the forefront.

8. To advise on and prescribe specialist, assistive equipment at home, school and community settings to support the child and improve or maintain occupational performance.

Main duties of the job

Clinical role

Provide Occupational Therapy to children and young people with varying and complex health care needs.

Take an active role in using outcome measures to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the service.

To work as an autonomous practitioner within the context of a multidisciplinary service.

Undertake statutory assessments regarding SEND provision.

To ensure high standards of service to the client group, their relatives and carers

To offer advice and training on areas of specialist expertise and make recommendations where appropriate.

To liaise with other professionals and agencies in the best interests of the caseload.

To be able to use the equipment required for the fulfilment of the role

To effectively use available systems

Work within organisational guidelines, HCPC standards and Royal College of Occupational Therapists guidance.

To apply national and local standards and monitor own quality of practice.

To be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of own work, caseload and ensuring a high standard of care within the service.

• To manage clinical risk within own complex patient caseload

About us

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) cares for the population in Harrogate and the local area, as well as across North Yorkshire, Leeds and parts of the North East.

At HDFT we provide outstanding care to both our patients and our staff and we value Kindness, Integrity, Teamwork and Equality. If you're looking for an interesting and rewarding career in the NHS, where you can make a real difference to patients' lives, HDFT could be the place for you!

We offer colleagues:

• A supportive culture so colleagues can bring their whole selves to work.
• Staff Recognition - as well as regular appraisals, we recognise achievements with our Making a Difference & Team of the Month Awards, along with annual Colleague Recognition Awards.
• Employee Support and wellbeing - we offer a wide range of staff benefits including an Employee Assistance Programme, counselling service and a fast-track Physiotherapy service.

Please note:

• Due to high levels of interest, posts may close early if we reach a sufficient number of applications
• Visa sponsorship is only available for certain roles. Please ensure the role you are interested in meets the criteria for a visa before submitting your application.
• Please also be aware that the Trust does not offer relocation packages for Agenda for Change roles.
• All job offers are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Details

Date posted: 16 December 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 6

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

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Part‑time, Flexible working

Reference number: 421-PSC-3528A

Job locations: Child Development Centre, Harrogate and District Foundation Trust, Harrogate, HG27SX

Job description & responsibilities

For further information, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification or contact Eleanor Jones on [e-mail].

For further information, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification or contact Eleanor Jones on [e-mail].

Person Specification – Essential

• Registration with Health Care Professional Council
• Diploma/BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy
• Evidence of on‑going professional development in area of specialism
• UK driving licence
• Evidence of CPD portfolio
• Paediatric occupational therapy practice experience.
• Experience of working within a community setting, &/or a multi‑disciplinary team.
• Practice placement education experience in a related OT clinical speciality e.g. learning disability, physical disability, social services etc, with the ability to transfer OT core skills to the OT process with children & young people
• Previous experience working as a band 6 within a paediatric setting

Person Specification – Desirable

• Membership of the British Association of Occupational therapy
• Children & Young People's Special Interest Group membership.
• Introductory/speciality short courses/study attended
• Introductory knowledge/experience of current paediatric practice including specialist assessments, Postural assessment, child development, outcome measures, treatment approaches & models of intervention.
• Direct work experience with children e.g. youth worker, voluntary work, nursery experience
• Delegation of work to support staff.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

Child Development Centre

Harrogate and District Foundation Trust

Harrogate

HG27SX

Employer's website: https://www.hdft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)