Working with children in a healthcare setting means more than just treating symptoms – it’s about building trust, offering stability, and helping young people grow up healthy, safe, and supported. Whether you’re drawn to clinical care, mental health, or developmental support, there’s a role for you.
This guide is for anyone considering a child-focused healthcare career – student nurses, career changers, recent graduates, or anyone keen to make a difference.
We’ll walk you through 10 hands-on roles that involve working with children, what each one involves, how to get into them, and what kind of training or qualifications you’ll need.
What Counts as 'Working with Children' in Healthcare?
Working with children in healthcare isn’t limited to paediatric wards. It spans a wide range of roles across the NHS, education, private practice, social care, and voluntary services.
Some roles involve direct care, things like medical treatment, therapy, or behavioural support. Others are more indirect, such as coordinating services, safeguarding, or supporting families.
You’ll find child-focused roles in many settings, including:
- Schools and nurseries
- Hospitals and GP surgeries
- Community clinics
- Family homes
- Youth centres or residential care
If the work involves supporting children’s health, development, or emotional wellbeing – it counts.
The Top 10 Healthcare Jobs Working with Children
Below are ten key healthcare roles that involve working with children-covering everything from frontline nursing to therapeutic support. For each, you’ll find what the job involves, who it’s suited to, typical work settings, required qualifications, and an approximate UK salary.
10. Paediatric Nurse - NHS mainstay, ward-based or community
What it is:
Paediatric nurses care for babies, children, and teenagers with a wide range of health needs from broken bones to long-term conditions. It’s a hands-on clinical role that requires sensitivity, resilience, and strong communication skills.
Who it’s for:
Ideal if you want to work directly with children and families in a fast-paced, emotionally demanding environment. Empathy, calm under pressure, and a solid grasp of child development are key.
Where you’d work:
Hospitals (on wards, A&E, outpatient clinics), community settings (health centres, schools, family homes), or hospices.
What qualifications you need:
A nursing degree in Children’s Nursing (NMC approved), plus registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). You can enter via university or a nursing apprenticeship.
Salary ballpark (UK):
£28,407–£42,618 (Band 5–6, NHS Agenda for Change)
9. Paediatric Nurse - NHS mainstay, ward-based or community
What it is:
Health visitors are specialist nurses or midwives who support families with children from birth to age five. The role combines public health, child development, and safeguarding, with a strong focus on prevention and early intervention.
Who it’s for:
Best suited to qualified nurses or midwives who enjoy community-based work, value relationship-building, and want to support children’s health and development before problems escalate.
Where you’d work:
Community health clinics, GP surgeries, children’s centres, or home visits – mostly during standard working hours.
What qualifications you need:
You’ll need to be a registered nurse or midwife, then complete a Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) course in health visiting.
Salary ballpark (UK):
£35,392–£42,618 (Band 6, NHS Agenda for Change)
8. Speech and Language Therapist - for kids with communication issues
What it is:
Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) assess and support children with speech, language, communication, and swallowing difficulties. This could range from helping a child pronounce words to working with complex developmental disorders.
Who it’s for:
Ideal for those with strong communication skills, patience, and an interest in child development, education, or neurodiversity.
Where you’d work:
Hospitals, schools, clinics, community settings, or homes – often as part of a multidisciplinary team.
What qualifications you need:
A degree in Speech and Language Therapy (HCPC-approved) is required. Some enter via postgraduate routes after a related undergraduate degree (e.g. psychology or linguistics).
Salary ballpark (UK):
£28,407-£42,618 (Band 5-6, NHS Agenda for Change)
7. Occupational Therapist (Paediatrics) - improving daily life for disabled children
What it is:
Paediatric OTs help children with physical, sensory, or cognitive difficulties develop the skills they need for everyday life from dressing and eating to concentration at school.
Who it’s for:
Suited to empathetic, problem-solving types who enjoy hands-on work and want to make a practical difference in a child’s independence and wellbeing.
Where you’d work:
Hospitals, schools, community health centres, specialist clinics, or in the child’s home.
What qualifications you need:
A BSc in Occupational Therapy (HCPC-approved), or a postgraduate diploma or MSc if you have a relevant first degree. Paediatric experience is often gained on placement or in a first post.
Salary ballpark (UK):
£28,407-£42,618 (Band 5-6, NHS Agenda for Change)
6. Child Psychologist - long training, big impact in CAMHS or private sector
What it is:
Child psychologists assess and treat children with emotional, behavioural, or developmental issues. This can involve therapy, psychological testing, and close work with families, schools, and healthcare teams.
Who it’s for:
Ideal for people with patience, resilience, and a strong academic mindset and those prepared for a lengthy training route to a highly specialised role.
Where you’d work:
Primarily in CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services), private clinics, schools, or specialist residential units.
What qualifications you need:
A BPS-accredited psychology degree, followed by relevant experience (often 1-2 years), then a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (funded via the NHS and highly competitive).
Salary ballpark (UK):
£43,742-£57,349 (Band 7-8a, NHS Agenda for Change)
*Private roles may exceed this depending on location and experience.
5. Play Therapist - creative support for trauma, SEN, developmental delays
What it is:
Play therapists use structured, therapeutic play to help children process trauma, build emotional resilience, and develop social or communication skills. It’s a child-led approach often used when talking alone isn’t effective.
Who it’s for:
Suited to people with empathy, emotional insight, and a strong belief in the power of play as a healing tool, often those with backgrounds in teaching, social work, or therapy.
Where you’d work:
Schools, hospitals, hospices, adoption/fostering services, or private practice. Many work freelance or are commissioned by charities and local authorities.
What qualifications you need:
A relevant degree (e.g. psychology, teaching, social work), experience working with children, plus a postgraduate diploma or MA in Play Therapy approved by PTUK or BAPT. Registration with a professional body is also expected.
Salary ballpark (UK):
£25,000-£45,000, depending on setting, experience, and whether salaried or freelance. Private rates vary widely.
4. CAMHS Practitioner - umbrella for various mental health clinicians
What it is:
A CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) practitioner could be a nurse, social worker, therapist, or psychologist working as part of a multidisciplinary team. The focus is on assessing, supporting, and treating children and young people with mental health difficulties.
Who it’s for:
Best suited to qualified clinicians who want to specialise in youth mental health, especially those comfortable with complexity, safeguarding, and working across services.
Where you’d work:
NHS CAMHS teams (often community-based), sometimes in schools, homes, or outpatient clinics. Increasing roles in the voluntary sector and early intervention programmes too.
What qualifications you need:
You’ll usually need to be a qualified mental health nurse, social worker, occupational therapist, or clinical psychologist registered with the appropriate professional body. Further training in areas like CBT or family therapy is often required or offered on the job.
Salary ballpark (UK):
Typically £28,000-£47,000 (NHS Band 5-7), depending on your profession, experience, and responsibilities.
3. School Nurse - health education and safeguarding in schools
What it is:
School nurses are public health nurses who work with school-aged children to support physical and emotional wellbeing. They play a key role in health promotion, safeguarding, and early identification of issues like poor mental health, neglect, or developmental concerns.
Who it’s for:
Ideal for nurses with a passion for prevention, communication, and working independently across a caseload. It suits those who want to support young people holistically rather than in a hospital setting.
Where you’d work:
Mainly in schools, but also in the wider community through home visits and clinics. You’d be employed by the NHS or local authority and work across multiple schools in a given area.
What qualifications you need:
You’ll need to be a registered nurse (adult or child branch), followed by a Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) qualification in school nursing – usually a one-year postgraduate course.
Salary ballpark (UK):
Generally £28,000-£43,000 (NHS Band 5-6), depending on experience and seniority.
2. ABA Therapist - behavioural work with children, esp. those with autism
What it is:
ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) therapists use evidence-based behavioural techniques to help children, particularly those with autism spectrum disorder, develop communication, social, and self-help skills. Therapy is highly structured, goal-oriented, and data-driven.
Who it’s for:
This suits people who are patient, consistent, and interested in behavioural psychology. It’s a good fit if you’re practical, detail-focused, and want to make measurable progress with individual children over time.
Where you’d work:
Often in homes, schools, or specialised autism centres. Some work is 1:1, while other roles involve working as part of a wider multidisciplinary team.
What qualifications you need:
There’s no formal UK licensure, but employers often ask for a psychology degree or equivalent, plus ABA-specific training. Certification as a Registered Behaviour Technician (RBT) or Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA) (for senior roles) can help, though these are US-based credentials increasingly recognised in the UK.
Salary ballpark (UK):
Typically £20,000-£35,000, though this varies widely depending on location, experience, and whether you’re employed or freelance.
1. Paediatric Physiotherapist - movement, coordination, rehab for children
What it is:
Paediatric physiotherapists support children with physical difficulties-whether from injury, illness, developmental delays, or congenital conditions. They help improve movement, strength, balance, and coordination through tailored rehab and exercise programmes.
Who it’s for:
This is ideal if you’re hands-on, enjoy problem-solving, and want to make a visible impact on children’s mobility and confidence. You’ll need to communicate clearly with both children and parents, and adapt your approach to suit different developmental stages.
Where you’d work:
Children’s hospitals, NHS community teams, schools (including special schools), and private clinics. Some roles involve home visits or working in early intervention services.
What qualifications you need:
You’ll need a BSc in Physiotherapy (or an MSc if you’re taking a postgraduate route), plus HCPC registration. Paediatric experience can be built through rotations or postgraduate training.
Salary ballpark (UK):
NHS Band 5-6 range: £28,000-£42,000, with private roles potentially higher depending on experience.
How to Break In
Routes into healthcare roles with children vary, but most require a mix of formal training and practical experience.
Many jobs (like nursing, speech therapy or physiotherapy) start with a university degree approved by a regulatory body such as the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) or HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council). For some roles, especially in mental health or social care, it’s possible to enter through a postgraduate conversion course after a relevant first degree.
If full-time study isn’t for you, there are growing numbers of apprenticeships that combine on-the-job learning with academic qualifications – ideal if you want to earn while you train.
Whatever route you take, volunteering or shadowing is strongly recommended. Time spent working with children (whether in schools, support groups or care settings) helps you understand the realities of the job and strengthens applications.
Lastly, expect some non-negotiables. You’ll need:
- An enhanced DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service)
- Up-to-date safeguarding training
- A clear understanding of child protection policies
These aren’t box-ticking exercises, they’re essential safeguards for working with vulnerable children and young people.
There’s no shortage of rewarding healthcare careers that centre around working with children. Whether you’re drawn to hands-on clinical work, therapeutic support, or early intervention, the roles covered here offer a wide range of ways to make a real impact.
The right path depends on your strengths, interests, and the kind of environment you see yourself thriving in. Some roles need academic training, others call for creativity, patience or practical problem-solving. If you’re not sure where to start, spend time talking to professionals, volunteering, or researching different options.
