Job summary
Band 5 to 6 Development Post
Children's Occupational Therapy

Are you interested in a career in Children's OT? But have no experience? Then this could be the role for you!

This is an exciting opportunity for a highly motivated Band 5 or Band 6 Occupational Therapist who wishes to develop specialist skills in community Paediatrics within a supportive team. We are looking for a creative, friendly, and enthusiastic OT to join our established Children's Team. We are located near Enfield Town, with easy commuter links from central London/Hertfordshire.

No experience of children's OT is necessary, but you will need to have worked in the United Kingdom as a Band 5 Occupational Therapist. We will provide on the job training in paediatrics so you can complete your Band 6 Clinical Competencies between 12-18 months in the team. If successful, you will transition internally to a Band 6 role.

We are a dynamic, innovative, and friendly team who report high levels of job satisfaction. We offer a professionally led service, monthly in-service team training, effective supervision, and External Training opportunities through the Trust.

Main duties of the job
Main duties
Your job will be to provide specialised assessment and intervention to children (0-18years) with varying needs in community settings, special schools, clinic, and CDC. You will work alongside the MDT on integrated pathways, including the joint DCD diagnostic clinic.

Enfield OT is committed to evidence-based practice; you will have the opportunity to gain skills in CO-OP, M-CIMT and Parent Coaching, as well as running groups and parents and school staff training sessions. We are an innovative team and one of the first children's services to develop leisure groups with local community providers.

This role includes participating in service development and in-service training provision.

To provide a high standard Occupational Therapy service to children aged 0-18years referred to Enfield's Children's Occupational Therapy Department.

To contribute to planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the Children's Occupational Therapy Service. To contribute to service improvements and Quality initiatives within the team.

To be responsible for a defined caseload of children both within the community and special school, working autonomously with access to supervision. Advice and support from colleagues is available as required.

To undertake Band 6 Competencies framework between 12-18 months of employment. If Competencies successfully completed to progress internally to a Band 6 within the team.

About us
The North Middlesex University Hospital, Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust is a medium-sized acute and community trust with over 525 beds and over 600 community staff, serving more than 600,000 people living across Enfield and Haringey and the surrounding areas, including Barnet and Waltham Forest.

In the year ending 31 March 2022, the Trust reported a turnover of £419.7m and employed almost 4,000 staff. Following the transfer of Enfield Community Services on 1st April 2023, this has increased as we have welcomed over 600 new staff including District Nurses, Community Matrons, Community Physiotherapists, Psychologists and many more across a wide range of adult and children's community services in Enfield.

In January 2025 we joined the Royal Free group: it is an exciting time to join North Mid as we continue our journey to become an integrated care organisation to deliver high quality, seamless care in our local communities, with a focus on tackling health inequalities.

North Mid is part of North Central London integrated care system - consisting of the NHS and Local authority organisations in Camden, Islington, Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. As with other ICSs, we are working increasingly closely with partners and indeed many of our financial and performance objectives are measured at this system level. Whilst all organisations remain as standalone statutory bodies, we have an ICS infrastructure for making shared decisions and agreeing shared approaches.

Job responsibilities
To provide a high standard Occupational Therapy service to children aged 0-18years referred to Enfields Childrens Occupational Therapy Department.

To contribute to planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the Childrens Occupational Therapy Service. To contribute to service improvements and Quality initiatives within the team.

To be responsible for a defined caseload of children both within the community and special school, working autonomously with regular access to supervision and clinical support.

To provide family centred, occupationally focused assessment and intervention to disabled children and children with additional needs. To work within the available evidence based and good practice guidelines.

To undertake Band 6 Competencies framework during between 12-18 months of employment. If Competencies successfully completed to progress internally to a Band 6 within the team

Person Specification
Education and professional qualifications
Essential

• Diploma/BSc/MSc Occupational Therapy or recognised equivalent
• Current HCPC Registration
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development

Desirable

• Practice Educator/Fieldwork Educator qualification
• Membership of RCOT

Royal Free shared commitments
Essential

• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust shared commitments.

Experience
Essential

• Experience of self-directed learning and professional development
• Experience of multidisciplinary working

Desirable

• Experience working as a qualified Occupational Therapist in a relevant paediatric setting or children's private practice
• Post-qualification experience of six months or more
• Experience working within occupational therapy frameworks of practice

Skills and aptitudes
Essential

• Strong commitment to working within community paediatric occupational therapy
• Ability to achieve Band 6 competencies within 18 months
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Accurate documentation and report-writing skills

Desirable

• Ability to analyse and respond to complex information

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.

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details
Employer name: Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Address: St Michael Site Cedar House, Gater Drive, Enfield, EN2 0JB, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Clinical Lead
Lauren Braham
lauren.braham1@nhs.net
07483318348