Early Child Development Children\'s Senior Occupational Therapist in Exeter

Job Summary

Ready to take the next step in your OT career? Join Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) as a Senior Occupational Therapist! Are you a Band 5 OT ready to progress to Band 6, or already a Band 6 looking for a fresh challenge? This is your chance to grow your skills in a supportive, innovative service that is transforming children’s community care across Devon. As part of the Early Child Development Pathway, you’ll work alongside Speech and Language Therapists, Psychologists, Early Years Practitioners, and two experienced Band 7 OTs. We help children and families thrive by maximising occupational performance at home, school and in the community.

What\’s in it for you?

• Support to progress from a Band 5 to Band 6
• Mentorship and support from experienced senior clinicians
• Opportunities to specialise in early years, sensory development, and neurodevelopmental needs
• A collaborative, multidisciplinary team that values learning and innovation

Main duties of the job

• Hold responsibility for the assessment and treatment of a designated caseload within your competence and capability.
• Use a strengths‑based approach to deliver:
  • Evidence‑based interventions
  • Goal‑focused collaborative practice
  • Routine Outcome Measures
• Provide specialist OT advice and interventions within multidisciplinary teams linked to Child Development Centres across Devon.
• Deliver interventions including:
  • Direct therapy, coaching and workshops
  • Recommend adaptive equipment and home/school adaptations
  • Guidance for home or school adaptations
• Offer early help and interventions to children with differences in their occupational performance.
• Supervise and support Band 4 and 5 colleagues, and contribute to student placements.
• Promote participation of service users across the service.
• Work flexibly across geographical areas to support colleagues according to need and demand.

About Us / Why work with us?

Joining CFHD you become part of a dynamic team delivering occupational therapy in the Early Child Development pathway. We collaborate within a multidisciplinary team to provide top‑quality care to children with developmental and sensory needs. We value compassion, inclusion, and flexibility, with a strong focus on continuous learning and recognition. Our inclusive and forward‑looking culture celebrates diversity and fosters professional growth. Within ECD you will be part of a supportive community service, working alongside enthusiastic colleagues who provide mentorship, inspiration, and professional support. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your expertise in early years, sensory development and neurodevelopmental needs within an integrated, learning‑focused environment.

Details

• Date posted: 14 January 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 5 (supported to progress to Band 6)
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full‑time
• Reference number: 388-7723077-CFHD
• Job locations: County wide – base to be discussed; Honeylands Specialist Children’s Centre, Pinhoe Road, Exeter, EX4 8AD

Job responsibilities

As a Senior Occupational Therapist within the Early Child Development Pathway, you will play a key role in supporting children and families to achieve their full potential in everyday life. This is a progressive role designed to develop your clinical expertise and leadership skills within a supportive, multidisciplinary environment.

Your Core Responsibilities

• Comprehensive assessment & intervention – undertake holistic assessments of children with a range of developmental, sensory, and neurodevelopmental needs. Plan and deliver tailored interventions that promote participation and independence across home, school, and community settings.
• Evidence‑based practice – apply advanced clinical reasoning and use outcome measures to guide decision‑making. Ensure interventions are strengths‑based, goal‑oriented and aligned with best practice standards.
• Collaborative working – work closely with Speech and Language Therapists, Psychologists, Early Years Practitioners and other professionals to provide integrated care. Contribute to joint planning and shared problem‑solving within the Child Development Centre network.
• Early help & specialist support – provide proactive, light‑touch interventions for common challenges such as sleep routines, communication difficulties and positive behaviour strategies. Offer tailored advice and practical strategies to families and professionals, ensuring recommendations are easy to implement and effective. Provide specialist guidance on adaptive equipment and environmental modifications to enhance participation and independence in everyday activities.
• Professional development & supervision – support and mentor Early Years Practitioners, Band 4 or 5 OTs in the future and students on placement. Engage in reflective practice and contribute to service development initiatives.
• Flexibility & service contribution – work across geographical areas when required to meet service needs. Promote participation and inclusion for children and families throughout all aspects of care.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Essential: Degree in Occupational Therapy; HCPC registration; Diploma‑level specialist training or experience; Post‑graduate certified courses specific to children’s needs (e.g. sensory training; ADOS, 3di etc).
• Desirable: Research skills; additional specialist training or experience.

Professional experience and knowledge

• Essential: To work within trust clinical guidelines and Royal College of OT and HCPC standards. To have working knowledge of national and local standards and monitor own quality and safety of practice; Extensive knowledge of Occupational Therapy models of practice and specialist approaches; Experience of therapeutic interventions for children and young people (e.g. manual handling, specialist equipment, 24‑hour postural management, fine motor, sensory differences and housing adaptations); Knowledge of a wide range of OT assessment tools appropriate to the paediatric population; Knowledge of normal child development and a broad range of paediatric conditions; Community‑based Children’s OT experience.
• Desirable: Research skills.
• Essential: Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal; Ability to keep accurate and legible children/young people and families clinical notes in line with RCOT and HCPC guidance; Ability to plan, organise and prioritise effectively.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975, and will require a Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) check to confirm there are no previous convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see the NHS Careers website.

Employer details

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
County wide – base to be discussed
Honeylands Specialist Children’s Centre, Pinhoe Road
Exeter, EX4 8AD
https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk