Paediatric Occupational Therapist

Not many paediatric OT roles put you alongside child psychologists, speech pathologists and specialist early intervention teachers every single day. This one does.

And you're ready.
Ready to draw on the strengths you already have.
Ready to be an active, contributing member of an experienced team.
Ready to make an even bigger difference to the lives of the kids, families and colleagues you work alongside.

Whether you're 18 months into your paediatric career and ready to build real depth, or a few years in and keen to keep growing alongside a team that invests in you, this is where you take that next step.

At Kids First Children's Services, we've been supporting children and families on Sydney's Northern Beaches since 2007. We're a busy, well-established clinic in Brookvale, and we're looking for a paediatric OT to join a team that thinks creatively, collaborates freely, and still makes time for a laugh.

What your days will look like

This is a clinic-based role with occasional visits to local preschools and schools.

You'll be supporting children aged 2 - 15 with motor coordination, sensory processing, emotional regulation, independence and participation challenges. Day to day, you'll be:

• Delivering high-quality, evidence-based therapy to a varied paediatric caseload
• Working closely with families and educators so that the strategies you build together actually carry through into children's lives
• Collaborating with child psychologists, speech pathologists, specialist early intervention teachers and other OTs
• Documenting clear progress notes, therapy plans and reports

Who we're looking for

• You're a paediatric OT who's good at what you do and wants to get even better.
• You practise in a neurodiversity-affirming, strengths-based and relationship-centred way.
• You leave a session already thinking about what to try with your client next time.
• You give parents strategies they can actually use at home on a busy weeknight.

• You provide teachers with practical ideas that work in the real world
• You're proactive. You make the most of the mentoring you receive from a highly experienced OT. You bring questions to supervision, try new strategies with your clients and reflect on what works.
• You're a great communicator. You generously share your OT knowledge with the speech pathologists, psychologists and early intervention teachers alongside you, and you're open to learning from their expertise in return.

Maybe you want more support than your current role gives you.
Maybe you've worked on your own and miss having colleagues down the hall.
Maybe the professional benefits of working in a multidisciplinary way resonate with you.
Or maybe you want work that fits around your life, not the other way round.

What you can expect from us

At Kids First, you're a person first and a practitioner second.

We care as much about you as we do about the children and families we support.

We work with every member of our team to ensure that career progression is part of their role. If you're ready to mentor others - great! If an area of clinical expertise is a pathway you'd like to start exploring, or if you're an aspiring leader, we have the experience to help you achieve your goals.

We believe that for you to feel genuinely successful in your career, your work needs to match your life - so wherever you're at right now, we're keen to help you make that possible, both now and in the future.

We love what we do

After almost 20 years in practice, we know what works - for children, families and clinicians. At Kids First you'll find:

• A genuinely collaborative team of child psychologists, speech pathologists, OTs and specialist early intervention teachers - all under one roof, every day
• Daily admin time built in - so you leave on time with your notes done
• Early Finish Friday - start your weekend at 12 noon every week
• Quarterly financial bonuses that recognise and reward your consistency and clinical excellence (and can make a real difference to your take-home pay)
• Regular mentoring and clinical support from experienced, senior OTs
• Dedicated OT Hub meetings to strengthen your learning and professional growth
• Fortnightly multidisciplinary case conferences that add depth and breadth to your practice
• A $1,000 annual Professional Development Contribution for full-time team members (pro-rated for part-timers) - because continuing to learn and grow is important at every stage of your career
• Well resourced OT rooms with climbing walls, suspended equipment and plenty of space for therapy and play
• A paid kilometre allowance for local school and preschool visits
• A Client Care team that handles bookings and invoicing, so that work never lands on your desk
• An Employee Assistance Programme for confidential support if you need it

Jump over to our website or pay a visit to our socials to see the Kids First team in action and learn more about the many ways we support children and their families.

A note on culture

Our core values are Care, Kindness, Compassion and Making a Contribution. They're not words on a poster. They shape who we invite onto our team, how we support each other, and the way we show up for the children and families we work with.

Our Therapists for Good program ensures that the difference we make extends beyond our clinic, too. Every time a new client joins us, we make a donation to children in need. Our free Community Service Seminars for local parents and educators and Team Connection days also bring our values to life.

(We're enthusiastic consumers of cake, coffee and the occasional team lunch, too.)

What you'll need:

Apply for this opportunity if you:

• Have 18 months to 4 years' post-graduate paediatric OT experience
• Hold AHPRA registration as an Occupational Therapist
• Have a current Working with Children Check
• Are eligible to hold a Medicare provider number
• Are an Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Hold a current driver's licence and have access to a car
• Currently live in Sydney and are able to work from our Brookvale clinic, with occasional local school and preschool visits

Please note: this role is open to Australian citizens and permanent residents currently living in Sydney only. We are not able to consider offshore applications or offer visa sponsorship at this time.

Ready to find out more?

If this sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you. To apply, please send your CV. A few lines about what draws you to Kids First would be great too!

Prefer to have a conversation first? Call Sonja Walker on 02 9938 5419 for a quick and completely confidential chat.