Specialist Paediatric Occupational Therapist

Job overview
Join the Experts at Hand (EaH) Team in Barking and Dagenham - Speech and Language Therapists & Occupational Therapists with the North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) and London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (LBBD)

Are you passionate about making a meaningful difference to children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)? Do you want to work at the forefront of integrated health, education and care, shaping a new model of early intervention and inclusion?

North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT), working in partnership with the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (LBBD) and North East London Integrated Care Board (NEL ICB), are recruiting Speech and Language Therapists and Occupational Therapists to join our new Experts at Hand (EaH) service. This innovative programme forms a central part of the local SEND Reform Plan and will transform how specialist support is accessed by children, families and educational settings.

About Experts at Hand
Experts at Hand is a pioneering multidisciplinary model designed to provide timely access to specialist expertise, helping schools, early years settings and families access support earlier and more effectively. The service aims to strengthen inclusion, reduce unnecessary escalation into statutory pathways and improve outcomes for children and young people aged 025 with SEND.

Main duties of the job
Working across health, education and local authority services, the EaH team will:

• Provide early advice, consultation and intervention for children and young people with SEND.
• Support schools and settings to build confidence and capability in meeting needs inclusively.
• Deliver individual, group and whole-setting approaches.
• Work as part of an integrated multidisciplinary team alongside education professionals, therapists, psychologists, family support services and other partners.
• Contribute to reducing waiting times and improving access to specialist support.
• Help develop innovative pathways that enable children and young people to thrive within their local communities.

Why Join NELFT in Barking and Dagenham?
As a member of the Experts at Hand team, you will have the opportunity to:

• Shape the Future of SEND Services
• Play a leading role in delivering a new model of support that is becoming central to local and national SEND reform ambitions.
• Work Across Systems
• Develop your expertise by working closely with colleagues from health, education, social care and the local authority, gaining a unique understanding of integrated services and population health approaches.

About us
NELFT NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for over 4.9 million people living in the London Boroughs of Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and across Essex.

We work to ensure our patients, their friends and family, feel confident that their health needs are well met. With an excellent reputation for research and development, our skilled health professionals are at the cutting edge of evidence-based innovation, opening up the possibilities for better ways of working and delivery of care.

Details
Date posted 22 July 2026
Pay scheme Agenda for change
Band Band 6
Salary £39,959 to £48,117 a year
Contract Permanent
Working pattern Full-time
Reference number NDD-001582
Job locations Axe Street Child & Family Centre, Barking, Essex, IG11 7LZ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Develop Your Career
NELFT is committed to supporting professional growth through:

• Structured supervision and mentoring.
• Leadership and quality improvement opportunities.
• Service development and innovation projects.
• Access to training and continuing professional development.
• Opportunities to progress into advanced clinical, specialist and operational leadership roles.
• Experience of working within system-wide transformation programmes alongside NHS and Local Authority leaders.

Make a Lasting Impact
Be part of a team dedicated to improving:

• Early intervention.
• Educational inclusion.
• Family experience and confidence.
• Access to therapy services.
• Long-term outcomes and readiness for adulthood for children and young people with SEND.

Who We Are Looking For
We welcome applications from enthusiastic and forward-thinking:

• Speech and Language Therapists
• Occupational Therapists

who are passionate about:

• Early intervention and prevention.
• Inclusive practice.
• Working collaboratively across organisational boundaries.
• Empowering families, schools and communities.
• Innovation and service transformation.

Whether you are an experienced clinician seeking a new challenge or an emerging therapist looking to develop your skills in a supportive and ambitious environment, we would love to hear from you.

About Barking & Dagenham
Barking & Dagenham is ambitious for every child and young person to achieve their full potential. The borough has a strong commitment to inclusive education and partnership working, supported by innovative neighbourhood and family hub approaches and a growing investment in SEND transformation. The Experts at Hand programme is a key part of this vision, bringing together the expertise of NELFT, the Local Authority and wider system partners to create a more joined-up and responsive service for children and families.

Be Part of Something Different
If you want to be part of an ambitious partnership that is redefining, how SEND support is delivered, improving outcomes for children and creating new opportunities for professional growth, then we invite you to join the Experts at Hand team.

Together, we can build a more inclusive future for children and young people across Barking & Dagenham.

Starting with NELFT NELFT place a great deal of importance on new starters being properly welcomed and inducted into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and will undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks which will include mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process new starters will have the opportunity to also meet the executive team, senior managers and attend a number of drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Rainham, Essex.

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B&D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, CEME) This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 15% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £4,870 to a maximum of £6,137 p.a. pro rata for part time).

For further discussions please contact in confidence:
Ronan Fox – Head of Service Children’s Integrated Care NELFT in B&D; ronan.fox@nelft.nhs.uk ; Mobile: 07939453362
Narelle Jacobs - Interim Speech Therapy lead, Barking and Dagenham Child and Family Centre; narelle.jacobs@nelft.nhs.uk; Mobile number: 07927588501
Mohammed Alauddin; Clinical Lead Paediatric Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Barking and Dagenham Child and Family Centre; mohammed.alauddin@nelft.nhs.uk

NOTE: NELFT are transitioning to nhs.net emails, please do use mobile numbers initially for any discussions or contact.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
• State Registered Occupational Therapist
• Post graduate courses or self directed learning relative to paediatrics
• NVQ level 2 or equivalent standard of literacy and numeracy

Desirable

• Member of BAOT, Childrens and Young Peoples specialist group

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working with children either as a Student, therapist or in a voluntary basis
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team

Desirable

• Experience of supervising students and/or unqualified staff

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.