Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist

Job Overview
The Harrow Paediatric Occupational Therapy team is looking for a motivated, flexible and innovative therapist to work with children and young people in Harrow. This is a rotational role which rotates through a variety of community paediatric areas. It will allow you to develop your skills in pre-school, mainstream schools and special schools.
We are a friendly, dynamic and innovative team who are passionate about supporting children, young people and families in Harrow. We have an established internal training programme alongside regular opportunities for external training.
We are based at Alexandra Avenue where there is a high level of integration and collaboration between different health, education and social care services.

Main duties of the job
We are seeking an enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to join our Paediatric rotational scheme. This scheme offers the opportunity to gain a broad experience in Paediatrics through yearly rotations in the following areas of services:

• Pre-school
• Mainstream school
• Secondary/Special schools
  This post will involve working in a mixture of clinics, mainstream schools and special schools. Our service is keen to focus on evidence-based family-centred care principles and applying best practice guidelines to enable occupational participation. We are open to new ideas and constantly reviewing and modifying the way we work.
  The post holder will contribute to departmental meetings, clinical audit/research and projects. They will provide advice and deliver training to other professionals and parents/carers on all aspects of paediatric occupational therapy. He/she will provide clinical education and training to physiotherapy students and will supervise the work of the PTA’s and LSA’s.

Working for our organisation
We are:

• A large supportive, sociable and friendly MDT team of 60+ therapists
• Committed to the well-being of our staff
• Easily accessible via public transport from central London and neighbouring counties.

We can provide:

• Time to ensure access to regular and ongoing CPD
• Opportunities for shadowing in a range of settings
• Clearly structured caseloads and prioritisation system
• Highly structured induction
• Access to clinical specialists in all areas
• Flexible working

In joining you will receive:

• Regular and ongoing developing therapist training as well as peer supervision
• Opportunities to take a lead in projects and working groups linked to specialist areas of interest

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

• To communicate complex patient-related information effectively ensuring collaborative working with multidisciplinary team members across health, education, social services and the voluntary sector. To work in particular with teaching staff, or medical/nursing staff to ensure the delivery of a well-coordinated care/individual education plans/programmes, facilitating the development of physical skills.
• To share information with others, observing confidentiality and data protection guidelines and having due regard for local guidance on sharing information with colleagues in health, education, social services and the voluntary sector.
• To communicate complex condition-related information (both verbally and in written form) from assessment, to CYP, Parents/carers, and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions. This includes child-specific information as well as training packages to parents, teachers and other professionals regarding physical disability/difficulties, sensory/perceptual and functional difficulties. To have due regard for the cultural and linguistic differences of children/families concerned.
• To work closely with CYP, carers and families, involving them in decision-making regarding intervention approaches, demonstrating empathy and ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist (i.e. communication difficulties, EAL and learning difficulties). This may involve the use of interpreters.
• To employ excellent communication skills such as persuasion, motivation and explanations to encourage/reassure CYP and carers to undertake treatment programmes.
• To demonstrate negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations.
• To form productive relationships with others in particular parents/carers who may be under stress and/or have challenging communication difficulties.
• To provide specialist clinical reports for CYP.
• To provide written advice for education and health care plans, describing the impact of the child’s difficulties on their learning environment.

Person specification
Other qualities
Essential criteria

• Excellent organisational skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with children and young people of all ages and abilities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills – including observation, listening and empathy skills.
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal (English).
• Negotiation and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work in an unpredictable environment and to prioritise own and others' workload.
• Good analytical and reflection skills.

Qualifications
Essential criteria

• Recognised Occupational Therapy Degree Qualification.
• UK Health Professional Council - Licence to Practice.
• Member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapy.
• Evidence of Completion of specialist short courses relevant to children with special needs/disability i.e. splinting, neurology, seating.
  Desirable criteria
• Member of the CYPF RCOT specialist section.

Experience
Essential criteria

• Post graduate experience of working in other clinical areas, Paediatrics, Neurology, Orthopaedics, Social Care.
• Writing clinical notes and reports.
• Managing own caseload.
• Teaching other professionals/parents.
• Supporting assistants and OT students.
• Clinical audit.
  Desirable criteria
• Working in the community.
• Working with children/young people and their families.

Skills and knowledge
Essential criteria

• Well established knowledge of assessment tools and appropriate therapeutic interventions relevant to the Occupational Therapy process.
• Well established knowledge of a range of specialist aids, equipment and seating systems available including wheelchairs, seating and assistive technology.
• Working knowledge of the roles of other professionals in Health, Education and Social Care.
• Understanding and application of standards of record keeping and reporting.
• Working knowledge of clinical governance/audit.
  Desirable criteria
• Working knowledge of Occupational Therapy in the Education system.
• Working knowledge of National policies and procedures in particular safeguarding children, SEN and disability act, SEN reforms, Children's and families act, National Service framework for children, the children’s bill and foundation stage and National curriculums.