Most therapy roles in residential care feel disconnected: you're working in isolation, your clinical thinking doesn't reach the young people, and nobody really understands what you do. This is different. You'll be embedded in a fully integrated therapeutic, education and care service where your work touches every part of a young person's day, every single day, and where the entire team speaks your language
Imagine walking into a workplace where the small victories matter. A young person who couldn't regulate their emotions in the morning manages the school run with calm. A child with developmental trauma takes a risk in the dining room and sits with a peer. These aren't tiny moments to you, they're the whole point. You'll work within a multi-disciplinary clinical team where your assessment, formulation and individualised interventions shape the therapeutic living and learning environment that wraps around these young people 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
You won't be writing reports that nobody reads. You'll be training and coaching the educational and residential teams, running workshops, offering consultation that actually sticks, and seeing your clinical thinking come to life in every interaction. The young people here present with complexity: developmental trauma, neuro-developmental conditions, special educational needs. Your job is to help their whole team understand why they do what they do, and how to support them better
This is maternity cover until July 2027, based 2 days a week at the learning centre in the South East. You'll be part of a 220+ strong multi-disciplinary clinical team who have your back. Supervision, a leading clinical development programme, and colleagues who genuinely get why this work matters. The organisation's fully integrated model means therapy isn't bolted on: it's the spine of everything we do
What you will be doing
- Deliver clinical assessment and formulation to guide individualised therapeutic interventions for young people with complex needs including developmental trauma and neuro-developmental conditions
- Work collaboratively with educational and residential teams to create and embed therapeutic living and learning environments
- Provide consultation, training and guidance to colleagues so that clinical thinking permeates every aspect of care and education
- Model therapeutic approaches and lead by example, helping teams understand the 'why' behind the young people's behaviour and needs
- Contribute to the multi-disciplinary clinical team, sharing expertise and learning from colleagues across the service
Why you will love working here
- Salary of £43,453 to £52,493 plus excellent benefits including 35 days holiday (including bank holidays), flexible benefits you can tailor, and medical cover for opticians and dentist appointments
- A leading clinical development programme and supervision so your professional expertise grows alongside your impact
- Work embedded in a fully integrated model where your clinical thinking genuinely shapes every child's day, every day
- A 220+ strong multi-disciplinary clinical team who speak your language and support your growth
- A recommend-a-friend scheme worth £1,000 every time you bring someone great into the team, plus wellbeing tools and employee assistance
Is this you?
- You're registered with the HCPC as a qualified Occupational Therapist with proven experience delivering therapeutic interventions for children and young people with complex needs
- You have real experience supporting teams around a child or young person, translating clinical thinking into everyday practice in living and learning environments
- You're a confident, engaging communicator who can model, guide, lead and train others, bringing people with you
- You're highly organised, take initiative, and are genuinely committed to the best outcomes for young people
- You bring your whole self to work and celebrate diversity and neurodiversity as strengths
Applications close on 12 October 2026. Great roles like this are filled quickly, so the sooner you apply the better.
Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.