About this role
Job summary
Are you an enthusiastic Band 5 Occupational Therapist passionate about helping children and young people thrive through our Experts at Hand service?
Join Warrington Childrens Community Occupational Therapy Service in this 1.0 WTE role, helping educational settings identify needs early and provide inclusive support. Through consultation, coaching, modelling and targeted training, you will build staff confidence to support children at universal, targeted and targeted-plus levels. Working with families, education colleagues and partner agencies, you will reduce barriers to learning and participation and help children receive the right support at the right time.
You will join a supportive, collaborative team with approachable leadership that values wellbeing, work-life balance and professional growth. Regular clinical supervision, structured support and development opportunities will build your confidence and skills while enabling you to contribute to service improvement, clinical governance and shared learning.
If you are a motivated, reflective occupational therapist with strong clinical reasoning, communication and partnership-working skills, we would be delighted to welcome you.
Our valuesKind, Open, Fair and One Teamguide your compassionate practice, open communication, commitment to equitable access and collaborative work to improve outcomes for children and young people.
Provisional interview dates: 21st & 22nd October 2026
Main duties of the job
As a Band 5 Occupational Therapist within the Warrington Childrens Occupational Therapy Experts at Hand service, you will support schools to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to meet the occupational performance, participation and independence needs of children and young people.
With support and supervision from experienced colleagues, you will help develop and deliver engaging whole-school training, consultation and coaching. You will enable education staff to embed inclusive occupational therapy approaches and use appropriate, evidence-based strategies, while contributing to reflective practice and service development.
You will contribute to drop-in consultation sessions in Warrington schools, helping education staff to identify functional needs early, agree practical strategies and navigate appropriate pathways so children receive support at a universal, targeted or specialist level. Working collaboratively with education staff, families and partner agencies, you will promote inclusive environments and help embed effective approaches into everyday school routines.
You will support the evaluation and continuous improvement of the service by recording activity and outcomes, gathering feedback and using agreed performance information to demonstrate how the Experts at Hand model improves staff confidence, inclusive practice and outcomes for children and young people.
About us
Flexible working will be considered for all roles.
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM) serves more than one million residents across the Halton and Warrington boroughs and the wider North West region.
Bringing together community and out-of-hospital services (formerly provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare) with inpatient and elective care (formerly Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals) we provide services at two hospital sites and more than 70 community hubs and facilities.
Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM).
They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation.
Our mission
We will be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other
Our vision
We will be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn
Our values
Kind: We are caring, supportive and respectful to everyone Open: We are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working Fair: We listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all One team: We work well together and with our communities
Job description Job responsibilities
Job Purpose:
To hold responsibility for and organise own caseload, within delegated areas of the service, with on-going support from a more experienced Therapist.
To provide assessment, treatment and management of babies, children and adolescents who present with diverse physical, developmental, sensory and learning needs.
To work closely with the multi-disciplinary team.
To continue own professional development.
Duties and Responsibilities:
To plan, prepare and undertake assessments for a designated caseload, working in collaboration with child and carers/involved agencies.
To identify areas of occupational performance and skill deficit in all functional activities of daily life.
To work with the child and/or carers to identify goals as part of an overall care plan in co-operation with the multi-disciplinary team
To accept clinical responsibility for a designated caseload, highlight areas of concern and managing own time under the supervision of more experienced staff.
To plan and implement client centred individual and/or group interventions, evaluating treatment in order to measure progress/outcomes.
To ensure joint / multiagency working occurs where appropriate, with health colleagues and partner agencies, attending reviews and clinical meetings as required by clinical responsibility
To undertake joint assessments and interventions with therapy colleagues where clinically appropriate.
To receive and contribute to the delivery of training for own profession and others.
To actively prepare and plan for supervision.
Please see Full Job Description attached.
Person Specification
Right to Work Essential
Do you currently have the unrestricted right to work in the UK? If appointed, will you require sponsorship under a UK work visa route (now or in the future)? Please note that sponsorship is not available for all roles. Sponsorship will only be considered where the post meets the relevant UK immigration requirements and where the organisation determines that sponsorship is appropriate for the role.
Job Specific Requirements Essential
Excellent communication skills. Problem solving skills. Experience with moving and handling patients. Experience of handling / issuing adaptive equipment. The ability to travel independently across the North Cheshire and MerseyTrust. The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs.
Desirable
Experience using hoists and transfers. Knowledge of postural management and supportive equipment. Ability to work in a variety of positions, kneeling, sitting standing on the floor
Relationships Essential
If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.
Qualifications Essential
Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy Health and Care Professions Council registration (HCPC). Member of Professional Body (RCOT)
Desirable
Membership of Occupational Therapy specialist interest group. Awareness of sensory processing difficulties and how they effect function.
Experience Essential
Experience with children. Experience of a variety of assessment and treatment approaches / models such as neurodevelopmental, biomechanical, behavioural. Experience of using both standardised and non standardised assessment tools. Experience of working under supervision and as an autonomous practitioner where suitable. Experience of report writing and goal setting. Working collaboratively with other health / social care professionals.
Desirable
Experience of working with children with a range of disorders such as DCD, Cerebral Palsy, learning difficulties. Experience of working/volunteering with children. Experience of work in a community setting such as a special school, nursery school, sure start centre. Knowledge of upper limb function and impairment.
Skills and Knowledge Essential
Demonstrate ability to participate in education of other health care professionals/education staff/Students Evidence of clinical reasoning skills and ability to reflect on and critically appraise own practice. Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team. Knowledge of childrens development and possible implications on occupational performance. Effective communication skills with patients, healthcare professionals and other agencies. Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group). Good organisational, planning and time management skills. IT skills e.g Microsoft Word and data inputting. Awareness of standards of record keeping.
Desirable
Ability to carry out risk assessments. Ability to assess physical, social and environmental needs of a client. Awareness of OT Code of Practice.
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 (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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH)
Address Warrington Child Development Centre
Sandy Lane
Orford
Warrington
Cheshire
WA2 9HY
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://northcheshireandmersey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)