Most therapy roles in residential care feel siloed: you work in isolation, your clinical thinking stays behind closed doors, and the young people never really benefit from the full force of what you know. This is different. We're looking for an Occupational Therapist who wants to be woven into the heart of a fully integrated education, care and therapy model where every single day your formulations and interventions ripple through the entire living and learning environment
Imagine walking into a children's home or school where the residential team, the teachers, and you are genuinely speaking the same clinical language. Where a young person with developmental trauma or a neuro-developmental condition doesn't just get an hour of therapy in a quiet room, but lives in an environment that's been shaped by your expertise and assessment. That's what this role delivers. You'll provide consultation, workshops and training that embed therapeutic thinking into the everyday work of colleagues across all our settings, so therapeutic support happens 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
You'll be part of a multi-disciplinary clinical team spanning our specialist schools and children's homes. That means a 220-strong network of clinical colleagues who genuinely understand complex need, who'll challenge you in the best way, and who'll have your back. The young people here present with real complexity: developmental trauma, neuro-developmental conditions, profound special educational needs. This isn't generic work. This is where your clinical reasoning will be stretched and celebrated
The role is two days per week covering maternity leave until July 2027, based in the South East. It's tailored so you can bring your whole self to the work without burning out. You'll be supported by full induction, ongoing clinical development through a leading learning programme, supervision, and access to colleagues who've chosen to specialise in exactly what you specialise in. This is what genuine professional growth looks like in the sector
What you will be doing
- Undertake clinical assessment and formulation with young people presenting complex needs, and translate that into individualised interventions and engagement strategies
- Work collaboratively across our schools and children's homes, providing consultation and guidance to educational and residential teams on therapeutic approaches
- Deliver training workshops and coaching to colleagues, ensuring therapeutic thinking permeates the culture and practice of every setting
- Support the multi-disciplinary team to design and maintain therapeutic living and learning environments that work for each young person's developmental stage and trauma history
Why you will love working here
- Salary £43,453 to £52,493 depending on experience, plus an excellent benefits package including 35 days holiday (including bank holidays), life insurance options you can flex, medical cover for opticians and dentist costs, and high-street discounts
- A structured clinical development programme designed to grow your expertise and advance your career within a leading multi-disciplinary organisation
- A recommend-a-friend scheme worth £1,000 every time you bring someone into the team
- Two days per week so you can sustain the depth of clinical work without the burnout of full-time sector strain
- Wellbeing support including employee assistance, supervision, and a 220-strong clinical community who understand what you're trying to do
Is this you?
- You're a qualified Occupational Therapist registered with the HCPC
- You have real experience delivering therapeutic interventions for children and young people with complex needs, including developmental trauma and neuro-developmental conditions
- You've supported teams (teachers, carers, other practitioners) to shift their practice based on your clinical thinking, not just worked in isolation
- You're organised, take the initiative, and genuinely believe in outcomes for young people - not just process
- You're a confident model, guide, leader and trainer. You can teach, not just do
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.