Occupational Therapist

ASAP Start

Plaistow, London

Permanent

£44,000 - £49,500

Forever Education is supporting a unique independent Special Educational Needs (SEN) group based in London, which provides therapeutic education for children and young people with special educational and neurodiverse learning needs. The school is seeking a passionate, dynamic, and experienced Occupational Therapist to join its specialist Primary school ASAP on a permanent basis, working with pupils (aged 7-12)

The purpose of this role is to provide occupational assessments and interventions to children and young people who access their learning hours. These children and young people are working towards a 'step down destination' of accessing 25 hours of learning and/or group learning but require a significant amount of support for this to be achieved. Additionally, the role provides interventions to children with significant trauma and adverse childhood experiences who require input through a nurturing approach within a primary school setting.

The Occupational Therapist will work closely with the Teaching Assistants and the senior teacher to meet the needs of the young people they work with and support them to engage in learning. The Community OT co-facilitates independence and communication and aims to speed recovery and achieve outcomes for the students that are meaningful to them. They advise on moderating the learning environment to support young people in reaching their full potential and on developing and implementing Positive Handling Plans as necessary and in accordance with MAPA, creating a therapeutic environment by building a therapeutic understanding & culture through training, workshops and general promotion of therapeutic practice to all staff.

Does this sound like the Occupational Therapist role for you? If so, please read on below to find out further information!

JOB DESCRIPTION

* To liaise closely with key colleagues, the multi-disciplinary clinical team and managers to provide an intensive treatment service for children enrolled within the school.

* To identify all children and young people, focussing within community learning settings, who have Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention identified as a need on their Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and to ensure that this is delivered effectively and in a timely way.

* To carry out observations with children and young people to identify those who will benefit from Occupational Therapy input who do not have this identified as a need on their EHCP.

* To engage the children and young people, many of whom within the community setting have difficulties engaging in learning, in innovative, helpful, therapeutic and meaningful activities that will support them in engaging in learning and reaching their full potential.

* To undertake highly specialised Occupational Therapy assessment by identifying appropriate assessment tools that will support us to identify and understand the needs of the children and young people.

* To assess and manage the complex sensory and occupational functioning needs of the children and young people within the community or primary setting to support them in feeling safe and in engaging learning with the teaching team.

* To provide a bespoke menu of sensory activities that can be used with individual young people to help to reduce their anxiety, including the use of sensory equipment.

* To share successful strategies with all staff working with the young person through devising individualised sensory passports.

* To develop innovative interventions/strategies for children and young people referred to the OT services and presenting with difficulties in some or all the following areas: activities of daily living; fine and gross motor skills; attention and concentration; social skills; violent behaviour; occupational roles and occupational performance; identity to maximise their ability to function independently.

* To work with parents / carers, education, health, social care and other multi-disciplinary colleagues as appropriate to assess, design and develop evidence-based intervention and management plans to be implemented within the multi-disciplinary teams and within the child's family/ home setting.

* To train and support staff in developing skills and knowledge in utilising OT strategies in the learning environment.

* To encourage self-awareness, exploration and reflection on feelings and relationships.

* To contribute to the multidisciplinary risk assessment and management plan for individual young people and for specific activities / trips / visits.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

* Recognised Occupational Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent

* Health Professions Council - Licence to Practice

* Registered member of the British College of Occupational Therapists

* Substantial experience of working with highly complex and high-risk children with social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH) and/or on the Autistic Spectrum.

* A high level of experience of multi-disciplinary and inter agency working.

* Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance/audit/research.

If you are interested in this Occupational Therapist opportunity, interviews can be arranged immediately

Apply for this Occupational Therapist opportunity by sending your CV to Katie at Forever Education You will be contacted by your personal consultant (if shortlisted)

Forever Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all candidates to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be required to undergo an enhanced DBS check