Paediatric Occupational Therapist

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

Main duties of the job
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 0 to 25 with SEND. 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.

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: 26 October 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 7
Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: ASCF-3BDL-002383
Job locations: Axe Street Child and Family Centre, Barking, Essex, IG11 7LZ, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
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. 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 and 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.

Working for Us
Joining #TeamNELFT means you will become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We are CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award-winning equality and diversity initiatives, along with staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest significantly in your development because when you feel valued and supported, we can deliver the highest quality care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been recognised in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and hold a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Through our staff networks and training opportunities, we strive to foster a just and compassionate culture at NELFT.

High Cost Area Supplement – Outer London (B and D, Redbridge, Havering and Waltham Forest, Goodmayes). 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).

Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer to this when completing your application.

For further discussions please contact in confidence:
Ronan Fox – Head of Service Children's Integrated Care NELFT in B and D; ronan.fox2@nhs.net; Mobile: 07939453362
Narelle Jacobs – Interim Speech Therapy lead, Barking and Dagenham Child and Family Centre; narelle.jacobs@nhs.net; Mobile number: 07927588501
Mohammed Alauddin; Clinical Lead Paediatric Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy, Barking and Dagenham Child and Family Centre; mohammed.alauddin4@nhs.net

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Diploma or degree in Occupational Therapy
• Member of the Health Care Professionals Council Licence to Practice
• Post graduate courses or self directed learning relative to paediatrics

Desirable

• Registered Member of British Association of Occupational Therapy

Experience
Essential

• Experience of working as a Band 6 OT with children with a variety of needs including: Neurodevelopmental disability, Developmental delay, learning difficulties and special educational needs
• Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of report writing for SEN / EHCPs

Desirable

• Experience of supervising students and/or unqualified staff

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.

Employer details
Employer name: NELFT North East London Foundation Trust
Address: Axe Street Child and Family Centre, Barking, Essex, IG11 7LZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.nelft.nhs.uk/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Head of Service Children's Integrated Care NELFT, Ronan Fox, ronan.fox2@nhs.net