Senior Children's Specialist OT

Anopportunity has arisen to recruit a full-time Band 6 Children's OccupationalTherapist to join our friendly and supportive, multi-disciplinary team. The Mid YorkshireHospitals NHS Trust Children's Therapy Team offers evidenced basedinterventions for children and young people from birth to 19 with additionalneeds impacting on their development or ability to engage in childhoodoccupations. We provide input into a range of health, community, andeducational settings. We also offer assessments into diagnostic pathwaysassociated with autism and developmental coordination disorder. Our teamprovides services into the local special educational needs support service andshort,based breaks teams and the successful applicantwill also have the opportunity to work into Wakefield Short Based breaks serviceone day a week. Weare keen to develop the service to provide the best experience of Children'sOccupational Therapy. Theteam has a base at Pinderfields and Pontefract Hospitals and cross site workingwill be required. Ideallyyou would have experience in neurodevelopmental treatment approaches and haveworked as an Occupational Therapist with children with both physical andsensory processing needs. Therole involves supervision and mentorship of junior colleagues with opportunityto be involved in the development of our service. The successful applicant willbe required to have access to a vehicle to support work into the community Main duties of the job Youwill deliver a specialised Occupational Therapyservice within the Children's Therapy Service utilising in-depth theoretical andtechnical skills. You will manage a caseload of children with complex needs using evidence based, client centred principles toassess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions to minimise disability andmaximise independence. . Youwill provide leadership, supervision, and appraisal for junior staff and students. Youwill participate in the planning, development and evaluation of Children's OT Services , holding responsibilityfor defined projects Youwill work within a job plan. We provide care and support to children and youngpeople with occupational therapy needs in the Wakefield and Pontefract area. intheir homes, educational and community settings and across our hospital sites. We offer standardised and observational assessments.to support evidence based care Weinvest in teaching and the development of our workforce., To be professionally and legally accountable forall aspects of own practice, including the management of individuals in yourcare. To understand and apply the Occupational Therapyprocess in the effective self-management of a caseload within the Childrens TherapyService, assessing and mitigating risk, addressing occupational performance andskill deficits to enable service users in components of self-care, productivityand leisure. To work within the scope of MY ChildrensTherapy service when prioritising need, assessing, and deliveringinterventions. To work within agreed service delivery model andpathways To know the professional and personal scope ofown practice and make referrals to other agencies. To demonstrate specialist knowledge andunderstanding of the key concepts of biological, physical, social, psychological,and clinical sciences in relation to occupational performance relevant toChildrens Therapy Service. To utilise and advise others on the range ofstandard and non-standardised Occupational Therapy assessments and techniquesin areas of occupational performance (education, leisure, personal, domestic,environment) and skill deficits relevant to Childrens Occupational Therapy. To be responsible for the assessment,prescription and evaluation of specialist equipment and adaptations forchildren with multiple and complex needs. To demonstrate a detailed working knowledge ofconditions affecting children and childhood occupations and currentOccupational Therapy approaches to their treatment and apply a high level ofknowledge of the effect of disability and provide training and advice onlifestyle changes and adaptations to the individuals social and physical environment. To be able to use research, clinical reasoningand problem-solving skills including activity analysis to identify thetherapeutic benefit of client centred interventions and make professionaljudgements with individuals with diverse or complex needs, or multiple problemsaccording to outcome, changes in patient needs and environmental influences. To use specialist knowledge, training, andexperience to plan and implement client centred individual and / or grouptreatment programmes for children with complex physical, mental health andsocial needs. To be able to formulate specific and appropriatemanagement plans including the setting of time scales to accurately prioritiseneeds with individuals and the multi-disciplinary team, in relation toavailable resources and professional demands. To monitor, analyse, evaluate, and modify theOccupational Therapy process and treatment in order to measure progress andensure the effectiveness of intervention. Using highly specialised knowledge, carry outand supervise a variety of physical interventions that require a high level ofphysical and manual dexterity. To apply a high level of knowledge of the effectof disability and provide training and advice on lifestyle changes andadaptations to the individuals social and physical environment. To work alone in a variety of environments,including home and school, this may include confined and unhygienic spaces thatcould present a risk to personal health and safety. When necessary, to be responsible for theco-ordination of the individuals clinical care package. To deliver Occupational Therapy interventions tothe childrens ward to facilitate safer discharges. To comply with all MY safeguarding processes andprocedures and where necessary be responsible for initiating and maintainingcommunication and onward referrals to safeguarding bodies. To follow MY policy and processes / procedures.

• Know the key concepts of the biological, social, psychological, and clinical sciences, which are relevant to profession -specific practice.
• Awareness of factors that can influence team working.
• Ability to demonstrate / discuss Occupational Therapy process in relation to Childrens Occupational Therapy
• Working knowledge of neurodevelopmental approaches
• Understand the need to establish and maintain a safe practice environment.
• Evidence of the use of reflective practice for personal development.
• Awareness of national guidelines and legislation relating to health and social care provision.
Desirable
• Involvement in research and audit.
• Evidence of post-graduate study.
• Awareness of the knowledge and skills framework.
• Knowledge and skills in :
• Working knowledge of Childrens Therapy equipment, seating, splinting, adaptations, normal development.
• Evidence of post graduate training relating to childrens occupational therapy.
• Knowledge of outcome measures relating to childrens occupational therapy, Dip COT or relevant OT Degree
• Registration with HCPC
Desirable
• Post graduate training in courses relevant to Children's Occupational Therapy
• Have completed a recognised professional practice educator course.
Experience Essential
• Involvement in professional practice education.
• Experience of work as an Occupational Therapist in a diverse range of clinical settings
• Supervision of junior and / or support staff.
Desirable
• Experience of work as an Occupational Therapist with children and young people
• Involvement in a clinical special interest group.
• Experience of having a lead role for designated projects.
• Professional experience of National curriculum, education systems and EHCP
Skills and Abilities Essential
• Able to use complex verbal and written communication skills in a variety of settings, including management of confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to use a range of communication devices to support interactions with service users, their carers and other professionals telephone, teams and face to face
• Be able to use appropriate assessment and treatment techniques for speciality area.
• Ability to work with other staff.
• Ability to represent knowledge or views in formal forums inclusive of verbal and written reports using agreed formats.
• Be able to analyse and evaluate the information collected and formulate appropriate recommendations.
• Ability to work autonomously and utilise supervision and formal appraisal systems with self and others.
• Be able to use research, reasoning and problem-solving evidence based practice skills to determine appropriate actions.
• Excellent IT skills
Desirable
• Contribute to the development of students and other staff.
• Specialist skills appropriate to clinical area.
• Ability to facilitate others to problem-solve and use clinical reasoning skills.
• Ability to chair / lead meetings.
Other factors Essential
• Ability to satisfy occupational health screening
• Adaptable and flexible according to the demands of the service.
• Ability to work in a range of community settings
• Ability to manage time within a community setting
• Ability to work in a range of physical positions Understanding of need to maintain confidentiality Hold a valid driving license with business insurance and have a vehicle that can be used in line with post holder duties, A wide range of interpersonal skills including ability to prioritise, delegate, negotiate.
• Ability to demonstrate a flexible approach to working practice to facilitate effective team working.
• Ability to adapt to fluctuating environments and complex situations.
• Ability to work on own initiative and take responsibility for specific tasks.
• Evidence of the ability to self-direct professional development in relation to speciality area
Desirable
• Knowledge of the impact of disability and its effect on lifestyle and child development.
• Commitment to change management processes
  
  Welive by our values of caring, improving, being respectful and maintaining high standards.We listen and learn because we aim to make Mid Yorkshire the best place to workand the best place to receive care.
Wehave a clear vision, and you could be part of this! If you share our values andyou want to make a difference to the lives children, young people ando theirfamilies and carers, we would love to hear from you., We are an acute trust caring for over half a million people in Wakefield and Kirklees. Our 10,000 staff work in patients homes, the community, and our three hospitals in Pontefract, Dewsbury, and Pinderfields (Wakefield). We prioritise our people and values so we can deliver the best possible care to patients. Our team is friendly, passionate, and innovative, always seeking better ways to work. We support work-life balance and foster a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Our staff networks offer safe spaces to share ideas and concerns so we can increase awareness and appreciation of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and especially encourage members of the LGBTQ+ community, ethnic minority groups, and people with disabilities or neurodivergence to apply, as they are currently underrepresented in the Trust. If you value caring, high standards, improvement, and respect, join the MY team to make a difference every day. Application guidance : We understand that more applicants are using AI technology to help with their applications. While these tools can be useful, they cannot fully capture your skills, knowledge, and experience. Its important that you personalise your application. Relying solely on AI is not recommended, as it may reduce your chances of success. Our screening process is thorough, so if you have used AI, please make sure to disclose this on your application form.