Occupational Therapist - Infant Child and Adolescent Mental Health at Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora Waikato, Waikato

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Waiora CBD, 87 Alexandra Street, Hamilton
• Permanent 80 hours per fortnight (Monday to Friday during office hours)
• This engaging opportunity enables you to utilize your knowledge and skills to positively impact the health outcomes of children and young people experiencing significant mental health challenges

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

As an Occupational therapist you will be based in Hamilton but work across the Waikato community playing a key role supporting service users/ tāngata whaiora to maintain their health and mental wellbeing.

Key responsibilities:

• Deliver core clinical activities such as a mental health assessment, including risk to self or others, recovery planning and recovery-orientated therapeutic interventions (individual / group) that are culturally appropriate to our service users and their families/ whanau.
• Deliver discipline specific mental health interventions.
• Provide whanau inclusive care.
• Work in collaboration with other members of the specialist team and professionals from health, education and social care backgrounds to ensure that service users receive seamless, high quality mental health care.
• Maintain your professional development to ensure your practice is current and evidence based.

Click here to view the position description.

About the Team/Service

We are a community-based secondary mental health service that offers specialist assessment and therapeutic support for infants, children, and adolescents facing serious mental health challenges.  As a service, we have a strong emphasis on family/ whanau involvement in the young persons recovery journey.  With service users/ tangata whaiora based both locally and rurally, this role also provides an exciting opportunity to work closely with the communities in which people live.  Our clinicians work within a multi-disciplinary team to get the best outcomes and apply evidence-base practices in an individual or group setting.

About Hamilton

Hamilton, where Waikato Hospital is situated, is a vibrant city nestled alongside the scenic Waikato River, offering a perfect mix of nature and culture. Explore the stunning Hamilton Gardens, home to themed gardens from Italy to Asia, or visit the Waikato Museum to delve into the region's rich history. The city also boasts the Hamilton Zoo, where you can walk through an aviary filled with native birds. Hamilton is a lively hub, with a variety of cafes, restaurants, and bars, along with events like rugby, cricket, and the famous National Agricultural Fieldays and Balloons over Waikato festival. With its vibrant atmosphere and proximity to outdoor adventures, Hamilton is an ideal place to live and work.

For more information on living and working in Waikato click here

About you

• Current NZ registration with the NZ Occupational Therapy Board and Annual Practicing.
• A full, NZ drivers licence with no limitations.
• Upholds the Te Tiriti principals and frameworks as they apply in healthcare settings.  
• Proven clinical experience in mental health.
• The ability to coordinate care and provide therapeutic interventions.
• The ability to effectively communicate and work collaboratively with children, youth, family/whānau, and community organisations.
• To be innovative and work effectively in a multidisciplinary team as well as autonomously.
• A Post Graduate certificate in child and adolescent mental health or is willing to work towards obtaining this qualification.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.  

How to Apply

To apply please click Apply online or apply via our Waikato Careers website by clicking here.

All applications must be submitted through our online careers portal before 11:59 pm on 26 April 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Heidi Steyn or Lily de Bruin on +64 7 839 8886.

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process before the closing date of this advert