Senior Occupational Therapist - Specialist Learning Disability Service
Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is advertising for an enthusiastic, creative and passionate Senior Occupational Therapist for the Specialist Learning Disability Service. The closing date is 02 November 2025.
The Specialist Learning Disability Service is a specialist service comprising Learning Disability Nurses, Clinical Psychologists, Occupational Therapists and Assistant Practitioners who offer a range of services for children and adolescents with a diagnosed Learning Disability and Autism, from assessment and intervention to consultation, liaison and training for other agencies.
The service supports Children & Adolescents with moderate to profound Learning Disability, in conjunction with complex behavioural, health or sleep issues related to this diagnosis. Care is provided across the county via a hybrid working approach of remote/virtual professional consultations, face to face, online workshops and training sessions.
Main duties of the job
* This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with the Specialist Occupational Therapist to design and develop this emerging and innovative role within Children and Family Health Devon. You will hold a caseload working across different environments such as homes, schools, virtual consultations/workshops and clinics across the county (some locality-based working considered; please contact us with queries).
* We provide training in Positive Behaviour Support, Specialist Sleep Training, FAIT (Frankish Assessment on the Impact of Trauma) and Talking Mats. Bespoke training is also considered if required for the role.
* We work closely with our AHP colleagues across the wider Children and Family Health Devon service to provide specialist support and advice for complex cases with a moderate, severe or profound learning disability.
* This role will have links with the wider OT teams within CFHD to ensure best practices, sharing of OT resources and maintenance of professional standards for Occupational Therapy practice, conduct and ethics.
* We invite discussions with all individuals interested in this role, including exploring shared positions with part-time hours. We offer a supportive induction package and encourage ongoing training and CPD within CFHD.
About us
Why Work With 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.
CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people across physical and mental health, delivered by Torbay and South Devon Foundation Trust and Devon Partnership Trust. We collaborate with other organisations to deliver locality and county-wide access to our services based on the i-Thrive Framework, in response to consultation with service users and communities.
CFHD works closely with local universities (Plymouth, Exeter & the Peninsula Medical School) to support students in clinical training placements and to support staff in postgraduate training.
Our integrated care and treatment has been developed in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers. Our vision is to be a successful, vibrant partnership that benefits the communities we serve.
Job responsibilities
* Hold responsibility for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a caseload within a designated geographical area, within own level of competence and capability.
* Using a strengths-based approach; ensure clinical effectiveness through the use of evidence-based interventions, goal-based, collaborative practice and Routine Outcome Measures.
* Deliver specialist occupational therapy advice, assessment and interventions to children and young people with moderate, severe and profound learning disability and/or neurodevelopmental and/or genetic conditions who are experiencing a range of difficulties in maximising their occupational performance within different settings.
* Interventions may include direct therapy, coaching or training to caregivers and education providers and occasionally provision of recommendations for suitable adaptive equipment where this is a statutory provision; provide specialist guidance and recommendations for home or school adaptations.
* Provide a range of early help/light touch interventions across pathways such as sleep, communication issues, and positive behavioural support.
* Support Community Learning Disability Support Workers.
* Mentor/clinically supervise newly qualified Occupational Therapists and Band 4/5 staff as required.
* Participate in the provision of student placements.
* To promote and support participation of children and young people across the Specialist Learning Disability service.
* To work across other geographical areas as required to support colleagues and children and young people with moderate, severe and profound learning disability and/or neurodevelopmental and/or genetic conditions according to need and demands.
Person Specification
* Degree in Occupational Therapy
* HCPC registration
* Post-graduate certified courses specific to children's needs
* Experience and knowledge of working with young people with a Learning Disability
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
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