Driven by our Trust values: Honesty, Empathy, Ambition, Respect; the Trust's vision is to provide high quality care to the diverse communities we serve to make their lives better. We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. Our cultural diversity, long term conditions and disabilities, and LGBTQIA staff networks are a key part of this commitment, creating positive change and helping build an inclusive culture across the Trust. Different ideas, experiences and backgrounds make us stronger and more creative and applications from all walks of life are welcomed - our processes ensure that all applicants are treated fairly at every stage of the recruitment process. Options for flexible working are considered for all roles within CCS, including job share opportunities, compressed hours, annualised hours, tailored working patterns and more. If you are interested in flexible working, please talk to the recruiting manager for this vacancy. Please note, the selection processes at Cambridgeshire Community Services are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right values and skills. Please be advised that the use of AI in applications are monitored, we remain watchful of candidates who misuse these tools to generate an application that doesn’t accurately reflect their skills. Job overview Are you an experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapist looking for a new challenge? Are you motivated to make a meaningful difference to the lives of children and young people aged 0–19? Would you like to join an expanding, innovative and supportive service within a forward-thinking Trust? If so, we would love to hear from you. We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for an experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapist to join our friendly and dynamic countywide team on a 12-month fixed-term contract to cover maternity leave. This role offers the opportunity to be part of an excellent example of collaborative working, providing high-quality occupational therapy interventions that promote the therapeutic use of everyday activities for children and young people. You will work closely with a well-established multidisciplinary team including Physiotherapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Education and Community Paediatricians, to deliver outstanding, child-centred care. You will be well supported by an experienced team of Occupational Therapists who offer excellent peer support, alongside a strong commitment to personal and professional development. If this role sounds of interest, or if you would like to discuss the post further, we warmly encourage you to get in touch. Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 22-02-2026 Advert The post holder works as part of the Community Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service. The post holder works autonomously with emphasis being placed on multi-disciplinary working and multi-agency collaboration and has specific responsibility for:- Holding their own clinical caseload. Clinical supervision and development of more junior staff The post holder will carry out specialist assessments and treatment and provide advice for children on their caseload in mainstream schools, special schools, and other community settings. They will attend multi-agency meetings and relevant discussions, including EHCP meetings and Tribunals if required. The post holder will contribute to projects as required. This will be undertaken with the co-production and service redesign team working with various stakeholders such as families, education staff and other health professionals. Working for our organisation Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives. There’s one reason why our services are outstanding – and that’s our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey. If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development. Detailed job description and main responsibilities Main Duties and Responsibilities Patient contact: The post holder will participate in regular supervision from a Paediatric Occupational Therapist of a higher grade but will be expected to work autonomously to: Provide specialist, evidence-based assessment, treatment and/or advice to children (aged 0 - school leaving age), referred to the Paediatric Occupational Therapy team in liaison with families and other professionals within a multi-agency framework. Children may present with life limiting, physical, multi-sensory disabilities and present with long term postural, functional and independence needs. Appropriate involvement in Education Health Care Plans and the Education Tribunal process. Be responsible for the prioritisation and management of a specialist clinical caseload (children with highly complex needs) using specialist paediatric knowledge and evidence based practice. Work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary / agency teams to provide a co-ordinated and integrated approach to patient care, e.g. health, social services, education, voluntary sector and families. To provide spontaneous and planned advice, teaching and instruction to relatives, carers and other professionals in order to promote understanding of the aims of Occupational Therapy and to ensure a consistent approach to the child’s care. To work with and provide specialist information to members of the multi-disciplinary team regarding the child’s functional ability in order to:- reach a working diagnosis enable subsequent management of any deficit deliver a comprehensive and co-ordinated treatment programme to each child. This is based on their clinical need and may include, where appropriate participation in case conferences, school reviews and discharge planning Use clinical judgement/reasoning for the assessment and recommendation, of specialist equipment e.g. postural seating and toileting equipment, from budgets such as education. To review and monitor the specialist equipment to ensure it meets the child’s changing needs. To report any issues affecting health and safety to the provider. This includes the training of children and staff in the safe use of the equipment. Work with children and families to identify Occupational Therapy child centred SMART goals and to formulate and recommend the best course of intervention. These should address Occupational performance and skill deficits, enabling children to develop/improve in the areas of self-care, access to the National Curriculum, life skills, play and leisure activities. To monitor, evaluate and modify specialised, individually tailored treatment (evidence based) in order to measure progress using outcome measures to ensure intervention is effective and complimentary to the child’s development, lifestyle and educational programme. To assess child/carer understanding of treatment plans, gain informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with children and their families/carers who lack capacity to consent to treatment. To facilitate a child’s return to school following discharge from Hospitals (local and Regional) following acute admissions and surgery in liaison with relevant services including Hospital staff, Special Needs Community Nurse, Physiotherapist, Education Staff and Speech and Language Therapists. To contribute to the planned admissions to hospital in collaboration with other members of the multidisciplinary team to ensure the child’s care plan meets their needs and optimises the outcome of their stay. To follow Trust procedures for incident reporting, and safeguarding asking for support from appropriate other personnel, in order to report the incident To provide advanced specialist assessment, treatment, and/or advice to children referred to the Paediatric Occupational Therapy team in liaison with families and other professionals within a multi-agency framework. Children may present with physical, learning, social/emotional and behavioural difficulties e.g. neuromuscular conditions, musculoskeletal conditions, developmental conditions, perceptual difficulties and genetic abnormalities, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Co-ordination Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or Autistic Spectrum Disorder. To take an active role in and help organise/present as appropriate: staff meetings peer review external courses (where appropriate) Will be expected to manage and prioritise own workload balancing other clinical, non-clinical and professional demands. Often working under pressure and to tight deadlines. Will use supervision with a more senior Paediatric Occupational Therapy as needed. To triage referrals as delegated. Work alone in different environments including patient’s own homes, nurseries, and schools; following CCS Paediatric Occupational Therapy Lone Working Policy. Refer on to other professionals / agencies as required. Seek assistance from colleagues where further advice or support is sought with regard to patient care. Decide on appropriate clinical and non-clinical tasks to be delegated e.g. to assistants, carers, admin staff, school staff. Professionally and legally be responsible and accountable for all aspects of own work To demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate and benchmark current clinical practice against national guidelines, standards and Evidence Based Practice and Best Practice. Interpret conflicting information (within specialist area (and recommend the best course of Occupational Therapy intervention to multi agency staff e.g., health, education and social care. Project work To contribute to/lead on projects as required To participate in the Paediatric Occupational Therapy teams’ clinical governance arrangements and quality agenda To adhere to and apply the Professional Standards for Occupational Therapy Practice, Conduct and Ethics (RCOT Version 2/2021). To participate in the implementation of changes to the service which may have an impact on other services e.g. OT referral criteria, as appropriate. To have an understanding of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care and their impact on local service provision. Communication Communicate effectively and appropriately with patients, families, carers, the public and all members of the extended health services, social services and education teams. This involves using a range of verbal, non-verbal, written and presentation skills as required. Use appropriate communication skills to overcome language and cultural diversity issues/barriers to effective communication which will regularly be evident, including: English as a second language, cognitive impairment, expressive and receptive communication difficulties, embarrassment, anxiety, pain, fear and visual/hearing impairment. To implement strategies to overcome these barriers. Communicate condition related information to patients / relatives which can be of a highly sensitive or complex nature e.g., prognosis and rehabilitation prospects in chronic or life limiting conditions. Use verbal and non-verbal skills to communicate effectively with children, young people and their families daily including those with highly complex needs, cognitive impairment, challenging behaviour or terminal illness etc. to gain consent, co-operation and to maximise potential. Empathise with and support patients and their families in difficult or distressing circumstances, e.g. difficult diagnoses, bereavement and deteriorating conditions. Represent and promote the Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service. Participate in working with various stakeholders the co-production, and service redesign teams to coordinate, develop, audit and review aspects of the service. To contribute a written report to the Educational Health and Care Plan for all children on caseload requiring one. To provide any additional written advice required for the Education Tribunal process. To be able to answer questions within an Education Tribunal, to provide clarification and enable further discussion regarding Occupational Therapy recommendations as required. Important Relationships: Countywide Paediatric Occupational Therapy Team Children and their families/carers Parent Carer Forums Co-production Team Multi-agency teams Education staff within special and mainstream school and pre-school settings Social Services staff Wheelchair Services Acute hospital Voluntary organisations Specialized Units/Hospitals e.g. Tadworth Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children Augmentative Communication Services Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital Second Skin (NB) This is an illustration of the important relationships and is not an exhaustive list To maintain up-to-date and accurate, comprehensive case notes (including treatment records) in line with professional standards, local trust policies and medico-legal criteria including what equipment has been issued. To provide written and verbal reports on all children on caseload, at appropriate intervals, including following assessment and at end of intervention. People Management Maintaining own professional development and requirement to take part in appraisal To participate in supervision to enable reflection on practice and subsequent enhancement of professional skills. To be responsible for individual supervision and education of junior Occupational Therapy staff, support staff and student Occupational Therapists. On April 1st 2026, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust will come together to deliver services as a single Trust. Both trusts are high performing specialist community health and care providers working in the East of England. Both have a strong track record, with the highest ratings from the Care Quality Commission, best in class NHS staff survey outcomes, and a decade of experience in innovation and clinical development. The group model provides health and care services to a population of 3.2 million in their homes and neighbourhoods. We provide care that supports people from the very beginning to the very end of their lives. The specific role you are applying is with Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust and if you commence your employment before the 1 st of April you will transfer to the new organisation via TUPE - the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations. Certificate of Sponsorship For roles that are eligible for sponsorship, applications from job seekers who require Skilled Worker Visa to work in the UK are welcome, and will be considered alongside all other applications. You are strongly advised to visit Check if you need a UK Visa website ( Opens in a new tab), and familiarise yourself with what is required which should assist you in your understanding of the process 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. (Opens in a new tab) UK Registration For roles that require professional registration, applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new tab) Our safe recruitment pre-employment checks are undertaken before an appointment is confirmed and may include a DBS check. Where the role requires you to drive, we'll ask you to validate your driving licence online via the DVLA. In submitting an application, you authorise Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust to confirm any previous NHS service details via the Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process should you be appointed. ALL CORRESPONDENCE will be via the e-mail address on your application form. If you have not been invited to interview within 2 weeks of the closing date, you unfortunately haven’t been successful on this occasion, but keep an eye on our vacancies as a job that’s just right for you may appear!