Closing date: 29 July 2026

Job summary
Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist (Band 7)
37.5 hours | Flexible working considered
FTC 12/12Hackney Ark Child Development Centre

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dynamic and innovative Children's Community Occupational Therapist to lead and develop OT provision within the Expert at Hand model, alongside managing a mixed Band 7 caseload within a highly respected and integrated OT service.

This post is funded through the 'Expert at Hand' SEND reform programme and offers a unique opportunity to contribute to system-wide transformation. The role is likely to be extended, subject to ongoing funding and service development.

You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team, supporting early identification of need and delivering evidence-based, targeted interventions within education settings. The role includes designing and delivering training, modelling strategies, and building workforce capacity to embed inclusive practice and improve outcomes for children and young people. You will also deliver evidence-based interventions across a tiered model of OT provision, addressing health, social care and education needs.

You will work closely with Specialist Teachers, Educational Psychologists, Children's Physiotherapists, Speech and Language therapists, and wider health colleagues, as well as the broader workforce across education and social care.

Main duties of the job
As well as delivering school based occupational therapy as part of the SEND reforms you will also also be based within the Hackney Ark Children's Occupational Therapy team holding a mixed caseload across health, social care and education.

The well-resourced OT service has been commissioned to address the health and social care needs of children and young people and has history of championing non-traditional roles to meet the varying occupational needs of children and young people across City and Hackney. These include roles include a short breaks / leisure team, a post specifically for looked after children, a service to support transition to adult services, Autism Diagnostics and NICU. The service has consistently maintained low wait times, and this gives the opportunity to offer intervention to children and young people and their families.

You will be based in the heart of Hackney at The Ark, a purpose-built Child Development Centre, where teams work closely to offer a joined-up service to families. The Clinical Leads offer regular supervision and there is an MDT internal training programme; external CPD and networking are supported and encouraged. You will supervise OTs and students and work with the Clinical Leads and other Band 7s to further develop and grow the OT service.

About us
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a high performing and flourishing organisation serving the population of Hackney, East London, The City and beyond.

We are extremely proud of the fact that Homerton Hospital has recently attained the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our integrated Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community health services for its local population and a range of specialist services for a wider group of patients. In addition, the Trust manages services out of St Leonard's Hospital and the Mary Seacole Nursing Home.

Homerton aims to ensure equality and value diversity, and we are committed to inclusion for all of our staff. This is reflected in our policies, procedures and People Plan. All of our staff are expected to embody our Trust values at all times.

We are also committed, through our Fair Recruitment Standards, to ensuring all applicants are treated fairly.

Homerton has a proud tradition of supporting and developing its staff, including its well-regarded and valued nursing community, and all staff are able to take advantage of a great range of benefits.

Homerton is proud to have been included on the HSJ & Nursing Times Best Places to Work list.

Details
Date posted: 16 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £58,133 to £65,261 a year pro rata p.a. inc.
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 12 months
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 293-CCS-0902
Job locations: Hackney Ark Child Development and Disability Centre, Downs Park Road, London, E8 2FP

Job responsibilities
Please see Job Description and Person Specification.

You will report to the Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist and contribute to innovative service development, partnership working, and co-design with children, young people and families.

You may be asked to work very occasional evenings or weekends.

Person Specification
Trust Values
Essential

• Understanding and demonstration of the Trust Values

Ed/ Qualifications
Essential

• Recognised Occupational Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent leading to registration with HPC
• Health Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• Evidence of successful completion and maintenance of continuing professional development using evidence based approaches

Desirable

• Registered Member of College of Occupational Therapists
• MSc in relevant subject
• Fieldwork Educators Course

Skills/ Abilities
Essential

• Ability to demonstrate staff values
• Ability to adapt approach to respond to a CYPFs circumstances
• Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Negotiation and Problem solving Skills
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills
• Good organisational and prioritisation skills
• Developed supervision skills
• Proficiency in manual handling, and physically handling children with disabilities and demonstrating techniques to carers
• Competence in assessing, adjusting and fitting equipment for children
• Able to work independently and as part of a team
• Ability to plan workload for delegated area of work
• Ability to delegate work to others

Desirable

• Ability to speak a community language

Experience
Essential

• Substantial post-graduate experience as an OT including work in a child development setting with Autistic young people
• Experience in delivering evidence based school based occupational therapy
• Evidence of applying a tiered approach to school based occupational therapy
• Experience of audit and understanding of research principles
• Experience of developing bespoke packages for schools, including training packages
• At least 6 months experience of working within the NHS
• Understanding of the Children and Families and experience of writing EHCP reports

Desirable

• Experience of working in traded services occupational therapy, and writing proposals

Knowledge
Essential

• confidentiality issues
• In-depth knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to children's occupational therapy, child development and SEND
• In depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
• In -depth knowledge of assessment tools and outcome measures relevant to the client group including the utilisation and interpretation of standardised tests and outcome measures
• Knowledge and adherence to clinical governance procedure's and standards of record keeping

OTHER
Essential

• Commitment and adherence to equality, diversity and inclusion
• Ability to travel around the Borough
• Able to respond to external demands appropriately

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

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 Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Clinical Lead Children's Occupational Therapist
Cherry Fitzsimmons
cherry.fitzsimons@nhs.net
02070147025

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