County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Children's Occupational Therapist
The closing date is 07 July 2026
Band 6 Occupational Therapist position in the dynamic Paediatric Occupational Therapy team. Deliver high quality assessments, interventions and advice to children, young people and families across County Durham and Darlington, including home adaptations.
Location: Bishop Auckland General Hospital, South Durham area.
Main duties of the job
- Provide high quality Occupational Therapy assessments and intervention programmes to children and young people referred into the service.
- Assess for and provide recommendations for major and minor home adaptations as part of the social‑care remit.
- Collaborate with children, young people, parents, carers and multi‑sector professionals including health, education and social care.
- Manage a varied and often complex caseload independently, using the supervision and support of the local OT team.
- Participate in training package delivery to parents, carers and colleagues and in your own CPD, appraisal and supervision.
- Take part in service development and quality improvement initiatives.
- Maintain accurate and professional clinical documentation, case records and reports.
- Supervise student occupational therapists and therapy assistants.
Job responsibilities
Clinical Responsibilities
- Be professionally and legally accountable for all aspects of your work, including child management.
- Undertake skilled assessment of children and young people, including those with complex presentations.
- Formulate and deliver outcome‑focused, individualised therapy programmes based on evidence‑based practice.
- Take delegated responsibility from Team Lead OT for managing specific conditions and providing specialist assessment and treatment plans.
- Formulate accurate prognoses and recommend the best course of intervention.
- Use effective communication, verbal and non‑verbal, to explain treatment programmes to children with communication barriers.
- Evaluate and review progress of interventions, adjusting programmes as required.
- Prioritise the health and wellbeing of children and young people, raising safeguarding concerns through correct channels.
- Supervise assistants and student therapists in line with professional and service standards.
- Represent the service and/or individual children at multi‑agency team meetings.
- Ensure safe and competent use of all equipment, appliances and aids, and that assistants and students are competent.
- Maintain comprehensive, contemporaneous clinical and statistical records.
- Contribute to multi‑agency assessments including Education, Health and Care Plans and Child Safeguarding reports.
Professional Development
- Maintain own competency through CPD and maintain a development portfolio.
- Teach, assess and contribute to performance assessment and appraisal of therapy assistants.
- Participate in staff appraisal scheme, complying with personal development programmes.
- Undertake measurement and evaluation of work through evidence‑based projects, audits and outcome measures.
- Actively attend in‑service training, tutorials, training sessions, external courses and peer review.
- Engage in professional clinical groups such as Children, Young People and Their Families, OT special interest groups, Peer Review Groups and other professional development activities.
Organisational Responsibilities
- Ensure practice meets required professional standards.
- Deputise for other OT staff when absent, managing caseload and organising work of assistants.
- Plan and organise own caseload to meet service and patient priorities, adjusting as necessary.
- Work safely and report all incidents via quality and safety reporting systems.
- Perform any other duties commensurate with the role.
- Implement Trust’s corporate identity guidelines at all times.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Diploma, BSc or MSc in Occupational Therapy.
- Specialist postgraduate clinical experience in Occupational Therapy practice, linked to a related field (e.g., Neurology, Paediatrics, Learning Disabilities, Social Care).
Special Requirements
- Ability to travel independently across the County.
- Driving posts must have a valid Full UK driving licence.
Special Skills and Knowledge
- Effective communication of clients’ health and social care needs to a wide range of audiences.
- Excellent presentation skills.
- Ability to prioritise workload within timescales.
- Specialist skills in occupational therapy areas such as postural management, fine and gross motor skills, handwriting skill development, aid and adaptation provision.
- Knowledge of sensory development and related difficulties in children and young people.
Experience
- 2 years post‑registration clinical experience as a Band 5 or Band 6 OT in a health or community setting.
- Experience and knowledge of delivering social‑care OT interventions (e.g., specialist aids and environmental advice/ adaptations).
- Clinical experience with children and young people with additional and/or complex needs.
Statutory Registration
- Qualified Occupational Therapist registered with H.C.P.C.
- Member of relevant Specialist Sections of RCOT or participation in Special Interest Groups in a related field.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975; it is necessary to submit to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous convictions.
£39,959 – £48,117 per annum, pro‑rata.
