Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Highly Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist: Mainstream School
The closing date is 03 March 2026
Harrow Occupational Therapy are thrilled to announce that new funding has been secured for this fantastic opportunity to join our dynamic and inspiring OT team!
If you are a passionate Band 7 ready for an exciting new challenge, or a motivated Band 6 eager to take the next bold step in your career, we want to hear from you!
Join us as a creative and forward‑thinking Band 7 OT, delivering specialist assessments and interventions for children aged 5‑19 within mainstream school settings. You’ll enjoy managing your own clinical caseload while making a real difference in young lives across schools and clinic environments.
This role offers more than just clinical work; you’ll have the chance to lead innovative service developments, champion the growth of your colleagues and OT students, and be fully supported by a collaborative, passionate leadership team. If you’re ready to grow, lead, and inspire, this is the perfect next step for you!
Main duties of the job
1. To communicate complex patient‑related information effectively to ensure collaborative working with multidisciplinary team members across health, education and social services and the voluntary sector. In particular to work with school staff to ensure the delivery of a well‑co‑ordinated care plan and/or individual education plan which facilitates the development of sensory, perceptual, motor and daily living skills.
o To work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team in schools.
o To support access to and differentiation of the Foundation stage and National Curriculum for children with physical difficulties/developmental disabilities.
o To advise on manual handling risk assessment, access school environments and provision of specialist equipment (seating and hoisting equipment) and aids to daily living.
2. To manage a highly specialist and complex caseload of CYP with SEN, particularly those attending specially resourced provisions for CYP with ASD. This includes:
o Gaining appropriate consent.
o Lead clinician for provision of comprehensive specialist assessment and differential diagnosis of individual children with diverse and complex presentations using a range of specialist assessments/techniques.
o Planning, delivering and evaluating highly specialist treatment programmes in mainstream school provision.
o Referring to other services/professionals as appropriate (e.g. Harrow Wheelchair services, Community equipment store, Consultant Paediatricians).
o Using specialist knowledge and demonstrating advanced skills in dealing with complex issues, including conflicting clinical indicators, to generate appropriate strategies for caseload management and wider service provision for school children.
o Negotiating with CYP parents/carers and others around individual case management.
o Writing reports reflecting highly specialist knowledge and providing specific advice for statutory assessment of special educational needs.
o Analysing clinical and social information from a range of sources and integrating into assessment and development of care/treatment plans.
3. To demonstrate established negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
4. To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible and reporting to Line Manager or Head of Paediatric Therapy Service.
5. To form productive relationships with others, particularly parents/carers who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties.
6. To write clinical reports as per departmental standards reflecting highly specialist knowledge.
About us
We are a very friendly and dynamic team who are passionate about supporting children, young people and families in Harrow while also supporting you and your wellbeing!
We strongly encourage staff input and influence to help design the OT service and the wider MDT team. We value personal development and have an established internal training programme alongside regular opportunities for external training.
We are based at Alexandra Avenue where there is a high level of integration and collaboration between different health, education and social care services.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and patients and service users when working in our healthcare settings.
Other
* Car Driver
Education and Qualifications
* Recognised Occupational Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent.
* Health Professions Council - Licence to Practice.
* Evidence of CPD in portfolio including attendance of specialist short courses relevant to CYP with special needs/disability.
* Training in Moving and Handling people with disabilities.
* Advanced training up to Masters level equivalent in area of Paediatric Occupational Therapy (e.g. Assisting Hand Assessment, parent coaching, child development sensory integration modules).
* Member of College of Occupational Therapy.
* Member of CYPF RCOT specialist section.
Experience
* Extensive experience of working with school‑aged children: with complex needs, with physical and learning disabilities, with perceptual–motor disorders, with neuro‑developmental disorders.
* Extensive experience of: assessment, treatment and management of CYP with complex needs; working as part of an MDT within an early years setting; managing own caseload; working with parents/carers; writing clinical notes and reports.
* Experience of: teaching other professionals/parents; clinical audit and research; line management/supervision of staff; contributing to appraisal of others; leading teams and projects.
* Knowledge of a range of specialist aids, equipment and seating systems including wheelchairs and assistive technology.
* Knowledge of foundation stage and National curricula.
* Knowledge of the Balanced system and its application within OT.
Skills and Knowledge
* Well established knowledge of assessment tools and appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to CYP with complex needs and physical difficulties.
* Well established knowledge of range of specialist aids, equipment and seating systems available to CYP including wheelchairs, seating and assistive technology.
* Working knowledge of the roles of other professionals in Health, Education and Social Care involved with CYP.
* Understanding and application of standards of record‑keeping and reporting.
* National policies and procedures including safeguarding children, SEN and disability act, SEN reforms, Children and Families Act, National Service Framework for children, the Children’s Bill, foundation stage and National curriculum.
* Clinical governance and audit.
* Excellent organisational and analytical skills.
* Ability to communicate effectively with children and young people of all ages and abilities.
* Excellent interpersonal skills – observations, listening and empathy.
* Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal (English).
* Negotiation and problem‑solving skills.
* Ability to work in an unpredictable environment and prioritise own and others’ workload.
* Good analytical and reflective skills.
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.
Address
£53,751 to £60,651 a year (per annum incl. HCAS, pro rata if P/T)
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full‑time
Reference number
333‑G‑HCS‑1150‑B
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