Paediatric Occupational Therapy Interview Questions & Answers

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Last updated 24 October 2026 · Created by a practising NHS doctor · Independent of the NHS

Quick answer

What questions are asked in an NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy interview?

NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy interviews usually mix values-based questions with scenarios specific to the role. Typical themes include motivation for paediatric OT, sensory processing, handwriting and school function, family-centred goals, multi-agency working and safeguarding. Every interview panel writes its own questions, so practise the themes rather than memorising answers. The 8 free questions on this page cover a spread of them.

 

At a glance

• Role: Paediatric Occupational Therapy (NHS Allied Health Professions)

• Questions: 40 original practice questions, each with a full model answer

• Free to read: the first 8 questions and answers on this page

• Full bank: £4.99, 12 months of access, no subscription

• Independent: not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS

 

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These are original practice questions written to reflect how NHS interviews are run. They are not leaked or official questions, and Healthcare Interview Prep is independent of the NHS.

 

 

Free NHS interview questions and model answers

 

 

Question 1: Why have you chosen paediatric occupational therapy, and why do you want to join our children's service?

Motivation question  ·  Motivation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants a genuine, personal reason for working with children and families, and evidence that you understand what this particular service does: its referral routes, caseload mix and links with schools. They are also checking your expectations are realistic so that you will settle and stay.

 

Model answer

For me it started on my second year placement in a community children's team. I was shadowing a therapist working with a six-year-old who could not get his coat and shoes on in time for playtime, so he was missing out every single day. We did a few sessions breaking the task down, used a visual sequence at his peg and worked with his teaching assistant on backward chaining. About four weeks later his mum sent a photo of him outside in the playground with his friends. It was such a small occupation, but it changed his whole day, and I realised that is exactly the kind of difference I want to make.

Since then I have looked for every chance to work with children. My final placement was in a special school, where I learned a lot about postural management, equipment and how much the school day depends on getting seating and access right. I also volunteered at a holiday play scheme for disabled children, which taught me to follow a child's lead rather than arrive with a plan I was determined to stick to.

As for this service, I read your website and spoke to one of the team before applying. I know you cover both the specialist schools and mainstream settings, that you run a tiered model with training for school staff, and that you have been working hard on your waiting list with a new triage process and parent workshops. That combination appeals to me because I want breadth: sensory processing, fine motor and handwriting, equipment and seating, and contributing to EHCP advice.

I am realistic that it is a demanding caseload, with long waits and families who are often exhausted by the time they reach us. But the team clearly invests in supervision and has a strong preceptorship offer, and I would rather start in a busy, well supported service where I will learn quickly than somewhere quiet where I would not grow.

 

Why this answer works

This answer opens with one specific moment and links it to occupation, which is the heart of OT. It then shows the candidate has built relevant experience and has researched this service rather than children's services in general. Finally it acknowledges pressure while showing commitment. Swap in your own placement story and the real details of the service you are applying to.

 

Key points to include

• A specific, personal reason rooted in a child's occupation, not a general love of children
• Relevant experience across settings such as mainstream school, special school or community
• Evidence of research into this service: model of delivery, settings covered, current priorities
• Realistic view of caseload pressure and waiting lists
• How supervision and preceptorship will help you develop

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Saying you have always loved working with children with nothing to back it up
• Giving an answer that would fit any children's team in the country
• Focusing on what the job gives you, such as hours or location
• Not knowing which settings or conditions the service covers

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Improving lives; Commitment to quality of care. HCPC: Promote and protect the interests of service users and carers.

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• HCPC Standards of proficiency: Occupational therapists
• RCOT Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics

 

 

Question 2: A seven-year-old is referred because of frequent meltdowns at school and at home, and the referral mentions sensory processing difficulties. How would you assess and plan your support?

Scenario question  ·  Sensory processing

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing your clinical reasoning around sensory processing: whether you gather a full picture before labelling, consider other explanations, use recognised tools sensibly, and focus on participation in daily occupations. They also want to see you work with parents and school rather than in isolation.

 

Model answer

I would start by being clear what the family and school are actually worried about, because meltdown can mean very different things. I would read the referral and any reports already available, such as from the paediatrician, speech and language therapy or educational psychology, and check whether the child is on an autism assessment pathway. I would also want to know about sleep, diet, health and any recent changes at home or school, because distress is not always sensory.

Then I would gather information from the people who know the child best. I would use a standardised parent and teacher questionnaire such as the Sensory Profile 2, alongside an interview about daily routines: getting dressed, mealtimes, the journey to school, transitions between lessons, lunchtime and bedtime. I would ask when the meltdowns happen, what comes before them and what helps. Ideally I would observe the child in class and in the playground, because a noisy dining hall or a crowded corridor often tells you more than a clinic room.

I would also do a clinical observation of motor skills, posture and attention, to see if there are coordination or regulation needs alongside sensory differences. I would be careful to interpret everything together. A questionnaire score tells me about patterns, not a diagnosis, and I would not want to assume everything is sensory if, for example, there are language or anxiety factors that need a different professional.

From that, I would agree two or three goals with the family and school that are about participation, for example managing lunchtime in the hall or getting through the morning routine without distress. Support would usually be a mix of explaining the child's sensory profile to the adults around them, environmental changes such as a quieter place to eat or movement breaks built into the timetable, and strategies the child can learn to recognise and manage their own regulation. I would set a review date and measure change against the goals, and I would refer on or discuss with colleagues if something fell outside OT.

 

Why this answer works

The answer moves logically from clarifying the problem, to multi-source assessment, to cautious interpretation and participation-focused goals. It names a recognised tool without overclaiming and shows awareness of other explanations for distress, such as anxiety or sleep, which panels see as safe reasoning. Replace the setting details with a child you have actually assessed, keeping the same structure.

 

Key points to include

• Clarify what the concern actually is before assuming it is sensory
• Gather information from parents, school and other professionals already involved
• Use standardised questionnaires alongside observation in real environments
• Consider other factors such as sleep, anxiety, language or health
• Set participation-focused goals and adapt the environment as well as the child
• Review progress and refer on when needs fall outside OT

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Jumping straight to a sensory diet without a proper assessment
• Treating a questionnaire score as a diagnosis
• Assessing only in clinic and ignoring the school environment
• Forgetting to involve parents and teachers in setting goals

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Respect and dignity. HCPC: Assess, formulate and plan using a reasoned approach.

 

Further reading

• HCPC Standards of proficiency: Occupational therapists
• NICE CG170 Autism spectrum disorder in under 19s: support and management
• RCOT Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics

 

 

Question 3: A school refers a Year 3 pupil whose handwriting is slow and hard to read. How would you approach this referral?

Scenario question  ·  Handwriting and school function

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants to see that you look beyond handwriting as a motor task, consider underlying skills and the classroom context, use appropriate assessment, and give practical, achievable advice to school. They are also checking you know when handwriting is the wrong goal and alternatives are better.

 

Model answer

The first thing I would do is find out what the school actually needs the child to achieve, because slow, untidy handwriting is a symptom rather than a diagnosis. I would ask for work samples across subjects and from earlier in the year, and talk to the class teacher and SENCO about what support is already in place. I would also check with parents whether there are any concerns at home with dressing, cutlery or play, which might suggest wider coordination difficulties.

Then I would observe the child writing in class. I would look at seating and table height, how they sit, their pencil grasp, how they stabilise the paper, letter formation, spacing and whether they fatigue or complain of pain. I would also watch copying from the board, because sometimes the problem is visual perceptual or attention rather than the hand itself. Depending on age and what I saw, I would use standardised assessment such as a handwriting speed measure and a test of visual motor integration, and a broader motor screen if the history suggested developmental coordination disorder.

In one placement case, a boy I saw was writing beautifully for the first two lines and then falling apart. It turned out he was sitting on a chair that was far too high, with his feet dangling, and he was gripping so hard his hand ached. Simply changing the chair, adding a slanted board and building in short breaks made a real difference before we did any skills work.

My recommendations would be practical and specific to that classroom: positioning and equipment, a structured handwriting programme the teaching assistant can deliver little and often, and clear targets we can review. If the child is older or handwriting remains a real barrier despite good input, I would talk with school about alternatives such as touch typing, a scribe for longer tasks or extra time, so the child's learning is not held back by their handwriting. I would review after an agreed period and share a written summary with family and school.

 

Why this answer works

This answer treats handwriting as an occupation in context, covers posture, perception and fatigue, and gives a concrete placement example. It ends with alternatives to handwriting, which panels like because it shows the child's learning comes first. Use your own example of a child where something simple made a difference.

 

Key points to include

• Clarify the functional need and gather work samples from school
• Observe in the classroom, including seating, grasp, posture and copying
• Consider visual perception, attention and wider coordination
• Use standardised measures appropriate to age
• Give specific, deliverable advice for school staff with review dates
• Consider alternatives such as typing when handwriting is a barrier to learning

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Focusing only on pencil grip
• Giving a generic handwriting sheet without seeing the child in class
• Recommending long one-to-one therapy blocks the service cannot sustain
• Ignoring access to learning when handwriting is unlikely to improve enough

 

NHS values and standards

Improving lives; Working together for patients; Commitment to quality of care. HCPC: Use evidence to inform practice.

 

Further reading

• SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years
• HCPC Standards of proficiency: Occupational therapists
• EACD international clinical practice recommendations on developmental coordination disorder

 

 

Question 4: What does family-centred practice mean to you, and how do you set goals with families?

Values question  ·  Family-centred practice

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is checking you understand that parents and carers are partners and experts in their child, that goals reflect what matters to the family, and that you can balance this with clinical judgement and the child's own voice. They also want to see practical goal-setting skills.

 

Model answer

To me, family-centred practice means recognising that the family knows the child better than anyone and that therapy has to fit their real life, not the other way round. A plan that looks great on paper is no use if it needs forty minutes a day that a parent working shifts with three other children simply does not have. So I see my role as working alongside the family, sharing my knowledge and listening to theirs.

In practice I start goal-setting with an open conversation about a typical day. I ask what is going well, what is hardest and what would make the biggest difference to them. I often use the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure for this, because it helps parents, and older children, identify and rate the occupations that matter most to them. I also try to hear from the child directly in an age appropriate way, for example using pictures or asking them what they would like to be able to do at school or with friends.

I remember a family on placement where the referral was about fine motor skills, but when we talked, Mum said what she really wanted was for her daughter to be able to dress herself so mornings were not a battle before school. We agreed that as the main goal and worked on the fine motor elements within dressing. Mum told us at review that the morning routine had become much calmer, and the fine motor skills improved alongside it.

I try to make goals specific and measurable, sometimes using goal attainment scaling, and I agree who will do what, including what is realistic for the family. I also recognise that families change over time, so I revisit goals at each review. Where I disagree with a family's priority, for example on safety, I explain my reasoning honestly and look for a compromise, but I never simply override them.

 

Why this answer works

The answer gives a clear definition, then describes a practical method using recognised tools, followed by a believable example where listening changed the goal. It finishes by acknowledging disagreement honestly, which shows partnership is not the same as simply agreeing with everything. Replace the example with a family you have worked with where their priority shaped your plan.

 

Key points to include

• Parents and carers are partners and experts in their child
• Goals should fit the family's real routines and capacity
• Use tools such as COPM and goal attainment scaling
• Include the child's own voice in an age appropriate way
• Revisit goals as the family's circumstances change
• Be honest when you disagree, and explain your reasoning

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Describing family-centred practice as simply giving parents a home programme
• Setting goals before speaking to the family
• Ignoring the child's own wishes
• Implying the family's view always overrides safety

 

NHS values and standards

Respect and dignity; Working together for patients; Everyone counts. HCPC: Work in partnership with service users and carers.

 

Further reading

• NHS Constitution for England
• RCOT Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics
• UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

Found these useful? The other 32 questions cover the rest of the role, each with a full model answer. Unlock all 40 for £4.99.

 

 

Question 5: Can you tell us about a time you worked with school staff or other professionals to improve things for a child?

Competency question  ·  Teamwork

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants evidence of effective multi-agency working: clear communication, respect for others' expertise, joint problem-solving and follow-through. They are looking for a structured example with your own actions and a measurable outcome for the child.

 

Model answer

On my final placement in a community children's team, I was involved with a nine-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who attended a mainstream primary school. She used a walking frame and had reduced hand function on one side. The school had raised concerns that she was becoming withdrawn and was not joining in with practical lessons or lunchtime.

My task, under my educator's supervision, was to find out what the barriers were and work with school to remove them. I visited for a morning and watched her day. I noticed she spent a long time getting to the dining hall, so she always arrived last and sat on the end away from her friends. In science and art, the tables were too crowded for her frame and the equipment was out of reach.

I arranged a short meeting with her class teacher, teaching assistant, SENCO and the physiotherapist, and I made sure we heard from the girl herself beforehand about what she found hardest. Together we agreed some simple changes. She left class five minutes early with a friend of her choice, which got her to lunch on time and turned it into a social moment. The classroom layout was adjusted so there was a clear route to her table. I suggested a non-slip mat and a few adapted tools for practical lessons, and the physio advised on positioning for longer seated tasks. I wrote it up as a one page summary so any staff member could follow it, including supply teachers.

At review six weeks later the teaching assistant reported she was joining in practical lessons, and her mum said she was talking about friends again at home. The learning for me was that the most useful changes were often about routine and environment, not therapy sessions, and that a short, clear written plan everyone owns makes those changes stick.

 

Why this answer works

This is a clear STAR answer with a believable situation, a defined task, specific actions involving several professionals and the child's voice, and outcomes from different perspectives. It closes with learning about routines and written plans that the candidate can carry into any school. Swap in your own example, keeping your actions in the first person and including a real result.

 

Key points to include

• Use a clear STAR structure
• Show you sought the child's own view
• Describe joint problem-solving with named roles such as SENCO and physio
• Include practical environmental and routine changes
• Give a concrete outcome and what you learned

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Talking about what the team did without making your role clear
• Choosing an example with no measurable result
• Criticising school staff
• Forgetting to mention the child or family's involvement

 

NHS values and standards

Working together for patients; Everyone counts; Improving lives. HCPC: Work appropriately with others.

 

Further reading

• SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years
• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
• Equality Act 2010

 

 

Question 6: During a home visit you notice unexplained marks on a child's arms and the parent's explanation does not seem to fit. What would you do?

Scenario question  ·  Safeguarding

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing your understanding of safeguarding duties: noticing and recording, not investigating, keeping the child safe, sharing concerns promptly with the right people and following local procedures. They also want to see that you can stay calm and professional with the family.

 

Model answer

My priority would be the child's safety. While I was in the home I would stay calm and professional, and I would not challenge the parent or start questioning the child in a way that could be leading. If the child said something to me, I would listen, not promise to keep it secret, and explain in simple words that I might need to tell someone whose job is to help keep children safe.

I would note carefully what I saw: the location, size, shape and colour of the marks, and the exact words the parent used to explain them, along with the time and anyone else present. I would not photograph the marks unless local policy specifically allowed it. If I believed the child was in immediate danger, I would contact the police or children's social care straight away. Otherwise, as soon as I had left the home I would phone my service's named safeguarding lead or my supervisor for advice the same day, rather than waiting for my next supervision session.

Following that discussion, and in line with local multi-agency safeguarding procedures, a referral to children's social care, often through the multi-agency safeguarding hub, would usually be made, and I would make it myself or support it as advised. I would document my concern, the advice I received and the actions taken in the child's record contemporaneously and factually. I would also check whether there were other professionals involved, such as the health visitor, school nurse or GP, because a single observation can be one piece of a bigger picture.

I would generally be open with the parent that I was sharing a concern, unless doing so might put the child at greater risk, which is something I would decide with the safeguarding lead. Afterwards I would make sure I attended any strategy meetings I was invited to and continued to see the child as planned if that was safe. I would also use supervision to reflect, because these situations can stay with you.

 

Why this answer works

The answer prioritises the child, avoids investigating, records objectively and escalates promptly in line with local procedures and Working Together. It also covers information sharing, the question of telling parents and the emotional impact on the practitioner. Adapt it with your own experience of a safeguarding concern, keeping identifiable details out.

 

Key points to include

• Child's safety is the priority; act immediately if there is imminent danger
• Do not investigate or ask leading questions
• Record objectively and contemporaneously, including the explanation given
• Discuss the same day with the safeguarding lead and follow local procedures
• Consider telling parents unless that increases risk
• Use supervision to reflect afterwards

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting to see if it happens again
• Confronting the parent or interrogating the child
• Promising the child you will keep a secret
• Assuming someone else will report it

 

NHS values and standards

Compassion; Everyone counts; Commitment to quality of care. HCPC: Report concerns about safety.

 

Further reading

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)
• NICE NG76 Child abuse and neglect
• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

 

Question 7: On a school visit you find a pupil's specialist seating set up incorrectly and staff transferring him without following his moving and handling plan. What would you do?

Scenario question  ·  Patient safety

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel is assessing your response to an immediate risk: making the situation safe, addressing the issue supportively with staff, escalating and documenting, and fixing the root cause through training and clear plans. They also want to see you raise concerns appropriately without blame.

 

Model answer

The immediate priority is the child's safety and the staff's safety. If a transfer was happening unsafely in front of me, I would calmly step in and ask them to pause, and make sure the child was comfortable and secure. I would then go through the correct technique with them using the equipment in the plan, and if the right equipment was missing or faulty I would advise them not to carry out that transfer until it was sorted.

Next I would look at the seating. I would check the set-up against my last prescription: seat depth, footplate height, pelvic strap and any lateral supports, and adjust it if I was trained and it was within my role. If it was a piece of equipment I could not safely adjust, or it seemed damaged, I would advise school to stop using it and arrange a review with the appropriate service, whether that was our equipment store, the wheelchair service or the supplier.

Then I would try to understand why it had happened. Usually it is not carelessness. It might be a new teaching assistant who had never been trained, a plan that was too long and was sitting in a file, or a change in the child's needs since we last reviewed. I would speak to the SENCO and the member of staff with responsibility for moving and handling, keeping it supportive and focused on the child.

I would arrange practical training for all staff who work with him and update the moving and handling plan into something short and visual that sits with the equipment, with photographs of the correct set-up. I would record my visit, the risk identified and the actions taken in his notes, inform his parents, and complete an incident report in line with local policy, because it was a near miss that could have caused harm. Finally I would agree a date to come back and check that things were working.

 

Why this answer works

The answer makes the situation safe first, then checks equipment within competence, explores root causes without blame, and finishes with training, documentation, incident reporting and review. It shows you are both safe and supportive. Add an example from your own practice where updating a plan or training staff solved a problem.

 

Key points to include

• Stop an unsafe transfer calmly and make the child safe
• Check seating against the prescription and act within your competence
• Withdraw faulty equipment and arrange review
• Explore root causes such as new staff or unclear plans
• Train staff and simplify the plan, with photographs where useful
• Document, inform parents, report the near miss and review

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Waiting until the next routine review to raise it
• Blaming staff in front of the child or colleagues
• Adjusting equipment you are not trained on
• Forgetting to complete an incident report

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Working together for patients; Respect and dignity. HCPC: Manage risk.

 

Further reading

• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER)
• MHRA Managing medical devices
• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics

 

 

Question 8: Can you tell us about a time you had to prioritise a busy caseload with competing demands?

Competency question  ·  Prioritisation

 

What the interview panel is assessing

The panel wants evidence that you can manage a heavy caseload safely: using clinical reasoning to prioritise, communicating with families about waits, seeking support when needed and keeping records up to date. They are looking for organisation and honesty rather than an impression of coping with anything.

 

Model answer

In my current role I hold a caseload of around forty children across mainstream schools and clinic. Last spring, two colleagues were off at the same time and I was asked to cover part of their caseloads for about six weeks, as well as dealing with a run of EHCP advice requests.

My task was to make sure the children with the most urgent needs were seen safely, deadlines were met and nobody fell through the gaps. The first thing I did was put everything into one list and rate each child against our service's prioritisation criteria. Children with equipment or postural needs where there was a risk of harm, safeguarding concerns or a hospital discharge came first. Statutory deadlines, such as EHCP advice, came next. Routine reviews where the child was stable came after that.

I then spoke to my team lead with the list rather than just saying I was overloaded. We agreed which reviews could be safely postponed and which tasks could go to our OT assistant, such as delivering a handwriting programme I had already set up. I phoned the families whose appointments were moving, explained why and gave them a named contact if anything changed, and I sent schools a short update. I also blocked out two half days for report writing so the advice deadlines did not get squeezed.

Over the six weeks, every urgent child was seen, all the EHCP advice went in on time and I had no complaints about the postponed reviews, which I think was because families had been kept informed. Looking back, the key learning was to escalate early with evidence and a plan, and to communicate with families before they had to chase us. I now review my whole caseload against the criteria every month, not only when things become difficult.

 

Why this answer works

This answer uses clear prioritisation criteria, shows appropriate escalation with a plan, uses delegation safely and keeps families informed. The result is specific, covering urgent children, deadlines and complaints, and the learning changes future practice. Use your own caseload example, with realistic numbers and the actual criteria your service uses.

 

Key points to include

• Use clear clinical prioritisation criteria rather than first come first served
• Put risk of harm, safeguarding and statutory deadlines first
• Escalate early to your lead with evidence and a proposed plan
• Delegate appropriately to support staff
• Keep families and schools informed about changes
• Protect time for documentation and reports

 

Common mistakes to avoid

• Implying you just worked longer hours
• Not mentioning any criteria for prioritising
• Failing to escalate until things had gone wrong
• Forgetting the families on the waiting list

 

NHS values and standards

Commitment to quality of care; Everyone counts; Working together for patients. HCPC: Practise safely and effectively within scope.

 

Further reading

• HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics
• RCOT Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics
• SEND Code of Practice: 0 to 25 years

 

 

Ready for the other 32?

You have seen how the model answers work. Unlock the full Paediatric Occupational Therapy bank to practise every theme the panel might ask about, with the mistakes to avoid spelled out for each one.

 

 

 

About this NHS interview question bank

To prepare for a paediatric occupational therapy interview in the NHS, practise talking through real situations out loud: a child referred with sensory processing difficulties, a Year 3 handwriting referral, unsafe specialist seating in school, a home visit for bathing equipment, writing EHCP advice and a child who was not brought to appointments. Panels for Band 5 to Band 7 posts will also explore family-centred goal setting, safeguarding, consent, the HCPC standards, supervision and how you work with schools, so prepare honest examples that show sound clinical reasoning and genuine partnership with children and families.

This bank is for occupational therapists applying for Band 5, Band 6 and Band 7 posts in NHS children's services, whether you are newly qualified, moving into paediatrics or stepping up to a specialist role. Each of the 40 original practice questions includes a first-person model answer, what the panel is assessing, key points, common mistakes, the relevant NHS values and further reading. Themes include sensory processing, handwriting and school function, developmental coordination disorder, equipment, seating and postural management, home adaptations, EHCP contribution, safeguarding, consent and confidentiality, transition, family-centred goals, supervision, service improvement and leadership. Questions are practice material, not real interview questions.

 

What this question bank covers

• Motivation for paediatric OT
• Sensory processing
• Handwriting and school function
• Family-centred goals
• Multi-agency working
• Safeguarding
• Was not brought
• Specialist seating and equipment
• 24-hour postural management
• Home adaptations
• EHCP advice
• Developmental coordination disorder
• Upper limb and splinting
• Consent and confidentiality
• Transition to adult services
• Outcome measurement
• Supervision and CPD
• Leadership and service improvement

 

 

Paediatric Occupational Therapy NHS interview: frequently asked questions

 

What questions are asked in an NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy interview?

NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy interviews usually mix values-based questions with scenarios specific to the role. Typical themes include motivation for paediatric OT, sensory processing, handwriting and school function, family-centred goals, multi-agency working and safeguarding. Every interview panel writes its own questions, so practise the themes rather than memorising answers. The 8 free questions on this page cover a spread of them.

 

What band is an NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy job?

The questions on this page are pitched mainly at Band 5 to Band 7 posts. The band for any job depends on the trust and the responsibilities of the post, so always check the advert and job description. Higher bands bring more questions on leadership, supervising others and improving the service.

 

How should I prepare for an NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy interview?

Read the job description and person specification closely, then prepare five or six real examples you can tell using the STAR method (situation, task, action, result). Revise your regulator's standards (such as the HCPC or GPhC), consent and capacity, safeguarding, caseload management and patient safety. Research the trust's own values and the service you would join, and practise your answers out loud before the day.

 

Which NHS values and standards should I mention in a Paediatric Occupational Therapy interview?

Link your examples to the NHS values from the NHS Constitution, such as compassion, respect and dignity, and working together for patients. For this role, panels will also expect you to understand your regulator's standards (such as the HCPC or GPhC), consent and capacity, safeguarding, caseload management and patient safety. Show these through what you actually did rather than reciting lists.

 

Are these real NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy interview questions?

No. They are original practice questions written to reflect how NHS Paediatric Occupational Therapy interviews are typically run. Healthcare Interview Prep is independent and not affiliated with the NHS, and nobody can promise which questions you will be asked. Use the model answers to learn structure and content, then build answers from your own experience.

 

What do I get if I unlock the full Paediatric Occupational Therapy question bank?

You get all 40 Paediatric Occupational Therapy practice questions. Each one has what the panel is assessing, a model answer, why the answer works, key points to include, common mistakes and the NHS values it links to. It is a one-off payment of £4.99 for 12 months' access, with no subscription.

Read the full NHS Allied Health Professions interview guide →