Job summary
Empower Young Lives: Specialist Children & Young People's Occupational Therapist (Band 6)
Are you a dynamic OT passionate about helping children reach their full potential? Join our integrated complex needs service in Merton and turn clinical expertise into life-changing outcomes.
We are looking for a self-motivated Specialist Occupational Therapist to join our dedicated Community Health team. This is a role for a clinician who thrives on variety - working across clinics, schools, and homes to support children with a wide range of needs, from physical disabilities and neurodevelopmental conditions to sensory integration challenges.
Main duties of the job
Why this role offers unique clinical depth:
- Holistic, Complex Caseload: You will manage a diverse caseload of children and young people, providing specialist assessments and interventions that address functional skills in self-care, productivity, and leisure.
- Autonomy & Decision Making: You will work autonomously within a defined clinical area, formulating goal-orientated care plans and recommending specialist equipment that makes a tangible difference to a child's daily life.
- Strategic Contribution: Beyond direct clinical care, you will play a key role in the Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) process, providing vital health advice and recommendations that shape a child's educational journey.
- Collaborative Excellence: You will be a vital part of a multi-professional network, collaborating with parents, schools, and health colleagues to ensure a coordinated, family-centered approach.
We are looking for an OT who is:
- Experienced & Transferable: You have at least 2 years of practitioner experience, ideally with specific skills in neurodevelopmental conditions or sensory integration.
- A Strong Communicator: You can navigate complex, emotional conversations with empathy and clarity, ensuring families feel supported and informed.
- A Continuous Learner: You are committed to evidence-based practice and eager to utilize our robust supervision, peer support, and training opportunities.
About us
We are proud to be one of the largest community healthcare providers in the country, with more than 4,500 colleagues caring for over four million people across London and Hertfordshire. Every day, our teams bring their skill, compassion, and determination to the people who depend on us.
What inspires us is at the heart of who we are: when we work together, we can help people move forward in ways that truly matter. Our teams support children as they take their first steps in life, and they stand beside adults as they rebuild strength, confidence, and independence. From newborn health visiting to community nursing, stroke rehabilitation, and palliative care, we are there for people through some of life's most important moments.
Joining Central London Community Healthcare means becoming part of a community that lifts each other up. It means working in an organisation that values compassion, welcomes new ideas, and believes in the potential of every colleague. Your development matters here. Your wellbeing matters. Your voice helps shape the future of the care we provide.
We offer a competitive employment package because the work you do matters. At Central London Community Healthcare, you will join an inclusive organisation that invests in its people, supports development, and helps you thrive while delivering high-quality care.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Successful applicants will be required to demonstrate alignment with the Trusts values - Accountability, Inclusion, Compassion, and Empowerment, alongside fulfilling the duties detailed in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Successful applicants will be required to demonstrate alignment with the Trusts values - Accountability, Inclusion, Compassion, and Empowerment, alongside fulfilling the duties detailed in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or diploma in Occupational Therapy
- Registered with the Health Care Professions Council
- Evidence of own self development through appraisal, CPD and portfolio
Desirable
- Relevant post-registration specialist education related to Children and young people' with physical disabilities
- Membership of relevant specialist groups such as the Children, Young People and Families specialist section of the British Association of Occupational Therapists, Sensory Integration Network
- Fieldwork educator course
- Evidence of attendance to training in the area of assessment and treatment of children with complex functional needs
Experience
Essential
- Specialist knowledge/experience in paediatric occupational therapy or appropriate experience in other Occupational Therapy setting which brings relevant transferable skills.
- Experience of working with ASD, Neurological conditions, Coordination disorders and functional needs.
- Knowledge/experience in the use of relevant assessment and treatment approaches and practices, including the use of standardized assessments.
- Community/school or educational environment experience
- Evidence of effective multi-disciplinary and multi-agency work
- Evidence of understanding EHCP processes or willingness to prioritise as part of induction
Desirable
- Experience of equipment prescription and principles and its application in the paediatric setting
- Experience assessing for and fabricating upper limb splints
- Experience of supervising staff and /or as a fieldwork educator
- Experience in setting up new projects /initiatives
Skills
Essential
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Sound knowledge of clinical practice and issues relating to the delivery of Occupational Therapy Services
- Understanding of national and local strategies for Clinical Governance
- Adequate knowledge of care pathways to facilitate appropriate referrals
Desirable
- Knowledge and experience of using basic audit and quality tools
- Insight into issues arising from the local health economy
Key Attibrutes
Essential
- To demonstrate physical ability to carry out Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention.
- To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, coordination and palpatory sensory skills for assessment and treatment of children with a variety of conditions
Desirable
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree or diploma in Occupational Therapy
- Registered with the Health Care Professions Council
- Evidence of own self development through appraisal, CPD and portfolio
Desirable
- Relevant post-registration specialist education related to Children and young people' with physical disabilities
- Membership of relevant specialist groups such as the Children, Young People and Families specialist section of the British Association of Occupational Therapists, Sensory Integration Network
- Fieldwork educator course
- Evidence of attendance to training in the area of assessment and treatment of children with complex functional needs
Experience
Essential
- Specialist knowledge/experience in paediatric occupational therapy or appropriate experience in other Occupational Therapy setting which brings relevant transferable skills.
- Experience of working with ASD, Neurological conditions, Coordination disorders and functional needs.
- Knowledge/experience in the use of relevant assessment and treatment approaches and practices, including the use of standardized assessments.
- Community/school or educational environment experience
- Evidence of effective multi-disciplinary and multi-agency work
- Evidence of understanding EHCP processes or willingness to prioritise as part of induction
Desirable
- Experience of equipment prescription and principles and its application in the paediatric setting
- Experience assessing for and fabricating upper limb splints
- Experience of supervising staff and /or as a fieldwork educator
- Experience in setting up new projects /initiatives
Skills
Essential
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Sound knowledge of clinical practice and issues relating to the delivery of Occupational Therapy Services
- Understanding of national and local strategies for Clinical Governance
- Adequate knowledge of care pathways to facilitate appropriate referrals
Desirable
- Knowledge and experience of using basic audit and quality tools
- Insight into issues arising from the local health economy
Key Attibrutes
Essential
- To demonstrate physical ability to carry out Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention.
- To demonstrate highly developed dexterity, coordination and palpatory sensory skills for assessment and treatment of children with a variety of conditions
Desirable
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
