At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team as an Occupational Therapist, supporting young people with diverse needs.
- Company: The Witherslack Group is dedicated to providing high-quality education and support for children with special educational needs.
- Benefits: Enjoy full school holidays, medical cover, wellbeing tools, and a £1,000 referral bonus.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in young lives while working in a supportive, collaborative environment.
- Qualifications: Must be a qualified Occupational Therapist with experience in therapeutic interventions for children.
- Other info: This role includes opportunities for clinical development and working alongside a multi-disciplinary team.
The predicted salary is between 36400 - 42600 £ per year.
37,602 – 45,426 (including paid school holidays) + excellent benefits
Those Huge Small Victories
Our clinicians are fulfilled by the idea of affecting even the smallest positive changes in our young people, so we celebrate the little things.
Get out what you put in
This role is based at Lakeside School for 3-days-per-week, covering a maternity leave until June 2026.
Lakeside School is an independent, specialist day school providing high quality education for boys and girls. Based in Liverpool, the school meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs including ADHD, autism, speech, language & communication difficulties and social & emotional difficulties.
Our clinicians are a crucial part of the most joined-up model in SEND. Across all of our specialist schools and childrens homes, we provide unrivalled levels of clinical support, both in terms of our expertise andbreadth of provision. Our young people present with a complexity of need including developmental trauma, neuro-developmental conditions and special educational needs.
As part of a multi-disciplinary clinical team you will be supporting educational and residential colleagues to provide therapeutic living and learning environments and, based on clinical assessment and formulation, offer individualised interventions and engagement to our young people.
Our Occupational Therapists work collaboratively within our schools and childrens homes, this ensures that therapeutic support permeates every aspect of the education, care and support we offer all of our children and young people. You will provide consultation, workshops, training and guidance to the educational and residential teams around our children.
What we do for you
We know youre going to do great things. For your hard work and commitment, we reward you with the best salary and benefits package in the sector. With us, youll get to make a genuine difference to the lives of our young people plus youll get:
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Training: A full induction and on the job training
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Holiday: Youll work hard at WG, so youll be rewarded with full school holidays including bank holidays
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Clinical Development: If career growth and professional advancement is your thing, we provide a leading programme of clinical learning and development
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Flexible benefits: meaning you can increase/decrease benefits such as life insurance check out our benefitshere
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Wellbeing: a host of wellbeing tools and advice including employee assistance
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Medical cover so you can claim back the cost of things like an opticians or dentist appointment and a host of high-street discounts
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Beautiful working environments with the very best facilities check out our schoolshere
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A recommend a friend scheme that offers a 1,000 bonus every time
Bring your whole self to work
Our young people come from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and with different needs and our workforce reflects that diversity, so that our teams can engage, encourage and inspire our young people to be themselves. The kind of person were looking for will:
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Be a qualified Occupational Therapist registered with the HCPC
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Have experience and be skilled in delivering therapeutic interventions for children and young people with complex needs
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Need experience of supporting teams around a child or young person to ensure they are being provided with clinically informed living and learning environments and experiences
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Be a confident, engaging and effective, model, guide, leader and trainer
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Be highly organised and ready to take the initiative
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Be committed to ensuring the best outcomes for young people
This is a great opportunity to change young lives and have a positive impact on their future.Embedded within our living and learning environments you will be offered thesupport, resource and platform for you to do great things. Youll benefit from supervision, a clinical development programme and access to a 220+ strong team of multi-disciplinary clinical colleagues who will be with you every step of the way.
Interested in joining us?
At Witherslack Group, inclusion is part of who we are. Were committed to creating an environment where everyone feels respected, valued and that they truly belong.
As a specialist provider of education and care for children and young people with special educational needs, we understand the importance of embracing individuality and championing difference- especially when it comes to neurodiversity. We celebrate diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and the unique strengths that each person brings to our community.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities. We are proud to be recognised as an inclusive employer and are committed to making our recruitment and workplace practices inclusive and accessible. If you need any adjustments to support you through the recruitment process or in the workplace, well be there every step of the way.
By building a diverse and inclusive team, were better able to support the children, young people and families we serve and ensure every member of our team can thrive, grow, and be their authentic self.
The Witherslack Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its young people. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check (we will cover the cost) and an online search. We are an equal opportunities employer welcoming applications from all sections of the community.
For a full job description and person specification, please click here.
To view our ex-offenders policy please click here.
To view our Child Protection Policy, please visit the \’Parents and Carers\’ section of this School/Learning centre. You can find all our Schools here.
Special Education / Careers in Care / Careers in Special Education / Working with Children / SEMH / SEN / ASD
Occupational Therapist (Liverpool) employer: Witherslack Group
Contact Detail:
Witherslack Group Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Occupational Therapist (Liverpool)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific needs of the children at Lakeside School. Understanding the challenges faced by students with ADHD, autism, and other special educational needs will help you demonstrate your commitment and suitability for the role during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of the Witherslack Group. Engaging with them can provide valuable insights into the company culture and expectations, which you can leverage to tailor your approach when discussing your fit for the team.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience in multi-disciplinary teams. Highlighting your ability to collaborate with other professionals, such as psychologists and speech therapists, will showcase your readiness to contribute effectively within the established clinical MDT.
✨Tip Number 4
Be ready to share examples of how you've supported educational colleagues in creating therapeutic learning environments. This will demonstrate your practical experience and understanding of the role's responsibilities, making you a more attractive candidate.
We think you need these skills to ace Occupational Therapist (Liverpool)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience and skills that align with the job description. Focus on your qualifications as an Occupational Therapist and any specific experience you have working with children and young people with complex needs.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for making a difference in the lives of young people. Mention specific examples of how you've successfully delivered therapeutic interventions in the past and how you can contribute to the team at Lakeside School.
Highlight Team Collaboration: Emphasise your ability to work within a multi-disciplinary team. Provide examples of how you've collaborated with other professionals, such as psychologists or speech therapists, to create effective learning environments for children.
Showcase Your Commitment: Demonstrate your commitment to the welfare of young people by discussing your understanding of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and how you plan to support the educational and residential teams in providing clinically informed environments.
How to prepare for a job interview at Witherslack Group
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you thoroughly understand the responsibilities of an Occupational Therapist in a school setting. Familiarise yourself with the specific needs of children with special educational needs, such as ADHD and autism, as well as the therapeutic interventions you may be expected to deliver.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare to discuss your previous experience working with children and young people with complex needs. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully implemented therapeutic interventions and how you've collaborated with multidisciplinary teams.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion
Express your genuine passion for making a difference in the lives of young people. Share stories that illustrate your commitment to supporting their development and wellbeing, and how you celebrate small victories in their progress.
✨Ask Insightful Questions
Prepare thoughtful questions about the role and the team you'll be working with. Inquire about the support available for professional development and how the team collaborates to create therapeutic learning environments for the students.