Children's Occupational Therapist

Closing date: 26 July 2026

Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a committed and passionate clinician to join a highly experienced and specialist Children's Occupational Therapy Team. This role is offered on a fixed-term contract for 6 months, with a contract end date of 27th March 2027 The base for this post is the Child Development Centre at The Westhampnett Centre in Chichester, a well-equipped facility designed to meet the needs of families and staff, supporting the delivery of an effective and holistic service.

The post will ideally suit an experienced band 5 or a band 6 wishing to expand their skills in Children's services.

Current HCPC registration is essential. The role involves working closely with children, families, and a range of professionals across different settings, including clinics, homes, schools, and nurseries. We are committed to multidisciplinary working and actively contribute to specialist clinics.

Visa sponsorship note: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role may not be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.

Main duties of the job
The team are very committed to Sussex Community Trust's values of "Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence and Compassionate Care", and aspire to deliver a service of 'compassionate patient centred care, promoting independence and empowering families'.

We offer excellent in-service training, supervision and clinical support from the Countywide Paediatric Professional Lead.

The ability to travel is essential as you will need to visit nurseries, schools and children's homes.

To work as a band 6 registered professional within a Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust service:

• To manage a caseload of patients with a variety of conditions.
• To formulate and deliver generic and specialised treatment programmes based on a sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options using clinical assessment and reasoning skills.
• To treat all patients with respect and courtesy, maintaining dignity and respecting individual needs and differences, both physical and cultural.
• To be involved in the support and supervision of staff at Band 3 to 5 level.
• To act as a clinical educator for undergraduate students within own professional area.
• To receive and deliver internal training and keep your own Personal Development plans up to date.
• To take on an audit and evaluation role of the service in which you work.
• To assist the team with service development initiatives

About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
• Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast

Our values -- Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence -- guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Details
Date posted: 15 July 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year, per annum pro rata
Contract: Fixed term
Duration: 6 months
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 150-CP2743-PC-A
Job locations: Westhampnett Centre, 28-29 Westhampnett Road, Chichester, PO19 7HH, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities

• To work effectively as a team member in providing and facilitating a high standard of care, social and rehabilitative support across various settings.
• To plan therapy, social and rehabilitative pathways taking account of the fluctuating needs of the patient and assist in evaluating the outcomes.
• To report and document variances in a patients condition or planned pathway of care.
• To offer advice and support and education on healthcare to both patients and carers.
• To take referrals for all services using the criteria specified in their operational policies.
• To undertake a holistic assessment of all the patients needs and understand the routes for escalating issues that are not directly resolved by own professional practice.
• Formulate and deliver an individual treatment programme based on a sound knowledge of evidence-based practice and treatment options using specific clinical assessment, reasoning skills and knowledge of treatment skills.
• To evaluate patient progress, reassess and alter treatment programmes as required.
• Assess patient understanding of treatment proposals, gain valid informed consent and have the capacity to work within a legal framework with patients who lack capacity to consent to treatment.
• To manage clinical risk within own patient case load and recognise potential risks to others, complying at all times with the requirements of health and safety regulations.
• Work in line with the SCFT lone worker policy where lone working is integral to the role.
• To be responsible for maintaining personal accurate and comprehensive patient treatment records in accordance with SCFT Information Governance and professional bodies.
• To be responsible for maintaining and developing own competency to practice through CPD activities and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.
• To clinically supervise, support and teach other staff, including Band 5 therapists, assistants and students.
• To support the operational lead with annual appraisals for staff at Band 3 to 5 staff and assist them with their career development.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Degree in Occupational Therapy
• Registered with HCPC
• Post Graduate training in a relevant specialist area

Equal Opportunities
Essential

• An understanding of the principles of equal opportunities in relation to staff and patients

Experience
Essential

• At least 18 months post grad experience
• Experience of working with children or adolescents
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team and high-level understanding of team dynamics.
• Experience of providing training and presenting information to colleagues in a transdisciplinary team.

Desirable

• Experience of working with children with complex neurological conditions
• Experience of working with schools and educational settings, including report writing for SEN

Skills
Essential

• Excellent working knowledge of informing sciences such as anatomy, physiology and pathology of paediatric conditions applicable to specialism
• Excellent knowledge of assessment and treatment tools and specialist treatment approaches
• Articulate good communication skills
• Demonstrates working knowledge of relevant legislation such as Manual Handling, Health and Safety
• Competency and ability to assess and treat wide range of complex conditions within paediatrics
• Good IT skills
• Advanced negotiation and problem-solving skills. Excellent conflict management skills.
• Confident presentation skills.
• Critical appraisal and reflection skills
• Excellent organisational skills.

Desirable

• Excellent knowledge of specialist equipment for use within paediatrics
• Advanced clinical reasoning skills
• Undertaking Audits

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer contact details
Contact: Specialist Occupational Therapist & Clinical Lead, Geraldine Garwood, geraldine.garwood@nhs.net, 01243793639