CAMHS Occupational Therapist

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a qualified, competent, confident, and enthusiastic Occupational Therapist to join the Wellbeing in Newham Schools Team. You will be responsible for supporting with the delivery of the Mental Health Occupational Therapy provision within schools alongside the Band 7 OT within the team. As a specialist Occupational Therapist, this role will entail assessing and delivering interventions for young people that present with mental health needs from an OT lens. Expertise on supporting the wellbeing of those with additional needs is paramount for this role.

In line with the government’s priority to increase access and availability of mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people, the Wellbeing in Newham Schools Team is an exciting opportunity to deliver evidence-based early interventions for children and young people, working across both educational settings and healthcare sectors in England.

The successful candidate will work across a range of primary and secondary education systems, collaborating with school staff, young people, and parents in supporting mental health and well-being needs. The postholder will be able to confidently utilise specialist OT skills to ensure that young people referred to the service receive robust holistic assessments and interventions, and can support in identification of additional needs that may need investigation with other agencies.

Main duties of the job

The post-holder will work collaboratively with a wide number of agencies, voluntary services and community interest groups to develop the ability of young people to be able to engage in occupations that are both necessary and meaningful for their mental-wellbeing. The ability to utilise creative and innovate approaches to care is paramount for this role. As part of a team with a novel OT provision, the post-holder will confidently support the lead occupational therapist in deliverance of whole school approaches such as school wide trainings, group interventions, and provide bespoke OT consultation sessions with school staff.

You will have a demonstrable track record of supporting mental health and well-being needs of young people and families. Specialist knowledge on how sensory, cognitive, and physical needs impact on mental well-being is necessary for this role. The successful candidate will be able to adapt their communication, so to engage children and young people across the developmental spectrum. You will exemplify strong risk management skill-sets.

As a band 6 OT within the team, supervision from the senior OT, and support from the clinical leads/ wider team will be provided to ensure continuous growth of your specialist skill-sets. We offer an exciting and dynamic environment where your ideas and career development will be valued. Innovative ideas that you may have for the OT provision within the team will be accepted.

Person Specification

Education/ Qualification/ Training

Essential

• oDegree or Graduate Diploma in Occupational Therapy
• oHealth and Care Professions Council Registered (HCPC)
• oRegistration with the Royal College of Occupational Therapists
• oEvidence of continuous and relevant professional training and development (CPD), as appropriate with qualification period

Desirable

• oPrevious experience of working in CAMHS

Experience

Essential

• oExperience in Occupational Therapy including experience working with service users in mental health or learning disabilities with complex needs.
• oExperience of participation in clinical governance
• oAn enthusiasm for brief interventions in schools
• oFormulation and treatment of children and young people with mental health difficulties
• oExperience of undertaking delegated leadership tasks and managing trainee staff effectively
• oExperience of multidisciplinary and multiagency working and co-working assessments and treatment
• oExperience of providing a culturally sensitive service
• oWorking autonomously with families providing an assessment and treatment service
• oExperience in managing child protection concerns
• oExperience of delivering evidence based Parent groups and specialist groups.
• oKnowledge and experience with working with Child Protection issues and serious mental health problems, including challenging behaviour
• oExperience of risk assessment and risk management

Desirable

• oExperience of supervising students on placement
• oExperience of participation in quality improvement activities
• oExperience of working with evidence based approaches to low mood, anxiety and behaviour problems
• oExperience of working in a school setting. Work in a multi-cultural setting, including working with interpreters
• oAn enthusiasm for using Routine Outcome Measures
• oExperience of working with children, young people and parents presenting with a range of mental health difficulties and challenging behaviour
• oExperience of working with families, school and other partner organisation to support young people who may be displaying behaviours that challenge.
• oExperience of working with children, young people and families in emotional crisis.
• oExperience of working in a culturally diverse Inner city area

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• oEvidence of understanding the Statutory framework within which Occupational Therapy (detailed knowledge of Occupational Therapy legislation, guidelines and procedures).
• oAbility to provide effective occupational therapy assessments and interventions relevant to children with communication, learning difficulties and sensory needs.
• oSkilled in carrying out both individual and group interventions.
• oKnowledge of evidence informed interventions for low mood, self-harm, anxiety and common behaviour problems in young children in education settings
• oHigh level skills in working with professional networks and the ability to advocate for and advance the mental health needs of parents and their children
• oAbility to chair team meetings, undertake delegated management tasks and support the Clinical Lead in general team tasks/development as required
• oAbility to form excellent working relationships with colleagues and work flexibly with others in multidisciplinary and multi-agency settings
• oKnowledge and skills in effective communication, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the NHS (e.g. schools)
• oEffectively manage a clinical caseload, complete outcomes measures routinely, update clinical records in line with team, service and Trust requirements
• oKnowledge of legislation in relation to the client group and mental health, education and the children Act and Child protection
• oKnowledge of Legal aspects of Moving and Handling
• oAbility to recognise own limits and seek support re supervision as appropriate.

Desirable

• oKnowledge of evaluating outcomes of interventions and ability to critically appraise own performance.
• oAbility to work closely with teaching staff in the identification of integrated learning and therapy-related individual objectives.
• oKnowledge of current development in CAMHS
• oAn interest of developing some area of expertise
• oKnowledge of the relevant clinical research literature and ability to apply it to field of parent/child mental health for each service area
• oAble to work effectively across organisational boundaries

Other

Essential

• oCommitment to equal opportunities
• oSelf-motivated, assertive and flexible.
• oInterest and ability to contribute to the MHST service development

Desirable

• oProven qualities in sustaining the mental, emotional and physical demands of specialized therapeutic work with disturbed and distressed children, adolescents and their families/carer networks.

Closing Date: 17 July 2026