Job Summary
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced Band 6 Children's Occupational Therapist to join its Children's Occupational Therapy Department, based at Sunderland Children's Centre and Palmer Community Hospital.
The successful candidate will support children and young people with physical, learning and developmental difficulties to improve their health, wellbeing, functional independence and participation in everyday activities. You will deliver specialist occupational therapy assessments and interventions to promote independence in activities of daily living (ADLs), encourage social inclusion and achieve positive outcomes for children and their families.
You will work closely with children, young people, parents, carers and multidisciplinary professionals, including Speech and Language Therapy, Physiotherapy, Mental Health Support Teams, Getting Help services and the 019 team, to provide a holistic and coordinated approach to care.
Key Responsibilities
Assessment and Treatment: Assess and treat children with physical, learning and developmental difficulties, using specialist occupational therapy knowledge and clinical reasoning to develop appropriate treatment plans.
Caseload Management: Manage an individual caseload, prioritising referrals and interventions effectively to ensure timely and structured service delivery.
Complex Needs: Contribute to the assessment and management of children with complex needs, applying professional judgement to identify appropriate therapeutic interventions.
Communication and Partnership Working: Communicate effectively with children, families, carers and healthcare professionals regarding therapy plans, progress, expected outcomes and discharge arrangements.
Safeguarding: Recognise potential safeguarding concerns, follow Trust procedures and initiate appropriate referrals where necessary to protect children and young people.
Discharge Planning: Work collaboratively with families, carers, external agencies and relevant professionals to support safe and effective discharge from occupational therapy services.
Advice and Training: Provide specialist occupational therapy advice, education and training to colleagues, school staff and other healthcare professionals, contributing to team learning and development.
Equipment and Resources: Ensure clinical equipment, resources and environments are used safely and effectively, identifying equipment requirements to support children's functional independence.
Multidisciplinary Working: Collaborate with relevant professionals and services to ensure coordinated, child-centred care and positive outcomes.
Professional Development: Maintain professional competence through continuing professional development (CPD), clinical supervision, training, research, audit and service development activities, supporting evidence-based practice.
Essential Requirements
Degree in Occupational Therapy and current HCPC registration.
Extensive experience in paediatric occupational therapy, supported by up-to-date specialist CPD.
Strong knowledge of child development, paediatric conditions, safeguarding procedures and neurodevelopmental approaches.
Experience working within multidisciplinary teams and collaborating with families and other professionals.
Experience supervising staff and students and delivering training or specialist advice.
Excellent clinical assessment, reasoning and decision-making skills.
Strong communication, organisational, caseload management and prioritisation skills.
Ability to manage complex cases and deliver safe, effective and evidence-based occupational therapy interventions.
Additional Information
This position requires an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, in accordance with the relevant requirements for working with children. Applicants must hold current UK professional registration with the HCPC.
This is an opportunity for an experienced paediatric Occupational Therapist to contribute to a community-based service, supporting children and young people to achieve greater independence, participation and improved quality of life.
