Occupational Therapist - Children and Families, South Essex
Permanent
Part Time, 18.5 hours per week
£36,101 to £48,622 per annum FTE (£18,050 to £24,311 pro rata)
Location: Basildon / South Essex
Working Style: Community-based worker
Closing Date: 27th April 2025
The Opportunity
Under the supervision of the OT Manager and professional supervision of a Senior Occupational Therapist, you will deliver effective OT interventions to children/young people and their families which are informed by current research, legislation and policy.
The Role
You will be located within one of the quadrant teams (South), however there will be a requirement to work within different quadrant locations according to service demand. Your casework will focus on children’s and young people’s cases that need equipment and adaptations to their homes. You will be an effective communicator and committed to delivering a high-quality service. The children and young people with disabilities service are an established team of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who have a passion for maximising independence and well-being for children and young people with additional needs.
Job Purpose Summary
Under the supervision of the OT Manager and professional supervision of a Senior Occupational Therapist, you will deliver effective OT interventions to children/young people and their families which are informed by current research, legislation and policy.
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
· Facilitate choice and empowerment through promoting independence as far as possible.
· Ensure that children/young people are safeguarded and that Southend, Essex and Thurrock (SET) safeguarding procedures are followed.
· Provide information and advice about other areas of support available to the child/young person and their families.
· To brief supervisor/ team manager on all relevant developments on each case.
· Actively and regularly participate in Essex County Councils supervision and yearly appraisal to ensure best practice and continued professional development.
· Assist in the development of new service initiatives and implementation.
· To participate in the on-going development and training of the team, and the service area. Attending team meetings and sharing ideas and best practice.
· Required to be mobile throughout Essex and therefore a valid driving licence and use of car required, unless the role can be undertaken effectively by alternative transport arrangements.
Role Specific Accountabilities
· Carry out specialist assessment/reviews of children/young people and families taking into account their needs and the impact of societal, attitudinal, cultural and environmental barriers which prevent participation in activities of daily living
· To take account of the impact of long-term impairment on the development of the child/young person, and their carers and family, social, economic, personal well-being.
· To recognise and identify safeguarding risks to children and actively support investigations where appropriate.
· Assess the needs and risks for children and young people and identify actions appropriate to meet needs and address risk
· Request and organise appropriate services in response to children/young people and their carers to meet their eligible needs whilst ensuring Best Value.
· To liaise, consult and work effectively with other professionals in order to identify and meet the child/young person’s and their family’s needs e.g. Social Care staff, Essex Equipment Service, Health Care professionals, District Councils, Housing Teams.
· Provide detailed and professional written reports and plans to meet needs and aspirations and present ideas and solutions to meet identified needs.
· Make recommendations and provide sketches, diagrams and specifications for adaptations to the child/young person’s accommodation to remove environmental barriers where possible and liaise with other professionals and agencies to meet complex needs.
· Ensure the safe use of equipment and adaptations, evaluate and review its effectiveness (following and evidencing a risk based approached) and teach children/young people and families to safely use equipment and comply with relevant legislation, policy and guidelines.
· To hold a caseload of a level of complexity appropriate to post holders expertise and personal development.
· Undertake administrative duties and maintain clear and professional records of assessment and progress for each case to ensure good practice and that targets are met contribute to the production of accurate statistical information relating to workload.
The Experience You Will Bring
· Diploma of the College of Occupational Therapists or B Sc.O.T. or other professional qualification recognised by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
· Registration HCPC as Occupational Therapist
· Experience in working with children and young people with disabilities is essential.
· Knowledge of assessing for and prescribing equipment to promote independence is essential.
· Knowledge in identifying the need for minor and major adaptations to promote independence is essential.
To read more about us please visit: Children & Families
Please take a look at our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video
The role sits within a quadrant however requires the postholder to be mobile throughout a wide operational area, including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving license and car, or ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means, is essential.
Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.
We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.
At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
What you should do next
When applying please ensure you provide an up-to-date CV and include a supporting statement when prompted.
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk
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