School-Based OT: Empower Participation

State Government of Victoria, Australia; City of Melbourne; On-site; AUD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job description

Occupation: Health and allied health

Location: Melbourne - Northern suburbs

Reference: 1546180

Selection Criteria

Occupational Therapist

SC1. Knowledge of the use and application of a wide range of interventions to assist children with an intellectual disability to participate in school-based activities including play, sensory regulation, social and emotional regulation, fine motor, self-care and life skills.

SC2. Demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams including therapists, teachers, ES and leadership to devise programs that enhance student outcomes in a range of contexts, and build effective collaboration across the school.

Range 4 is distinguished by broader management responsibility, particularly in the areas of finance, human resource and other support functions.Range 4 is responsible for managing a range of functions under a wide range of conditions, subject to the size and complexity of school operations.

Objectives will, generally, be clearly defined; guidelines will be broad and day-to-day direction minimal.Management responsibility extends to ensuring appropriate support levels are maintained across the school.

Specialised professional roles will carry a high level of independence and accountability where suitable scope is provided to achieve objectives.

An education support class position supports the educational services being provided to students, but must not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) or its successor.Supervision of students cannot be required except where it is an integral part of the employee¿s position or involves supervision of students individually or in small groups, in controlled circumstances, where the responsibility for students remains clearly with a teacher.

Responsibilities

• Student Support & Assessment
• Conduct individual assessments (including Vineland) and functional observations in classroom and school settings.
• Develop student-centred goals and strategies to support participation, regulation, fine/gross motor skills, and sensory needs.
• Deliver brief, targeted interventions with students, including direct 1:1 support and goal setting where appropriate.
• Specialist input into Disability Inclusion Profiles.
• Act as a discipline-specific overlay within the DIP process by contributing occupational therapy insights to inform strength-based, holistic profiles.
• Attend DIP meetings where appropriate.
• Provide reports, documentation, and professional input aligned with DET's DIP protocols and timelines.
• Consultation & Capacity Building.
• Collaborate with teaching staff, education support staff, and wellbeing professionals to support inclusive practice and implementation of OT informed strategies.
• Offer professional learning, coaching, and modelling to build staff capability around sensory processing, environmental modifications, functional classroom strategies, and student engagement.
• Contribute to School Support Plans (BSPs, Escalation Plans) and Individual Education Plans (IEPs) with OT-informed goals and strategies.
• Participate in Student Support Groups and other planning meetings to share your expertise.
• Engage with families/carers to ensure goals and supports are consistent across home and school environments.
• Collaborate with other allied health professionals, visiting teachers, NDIS providers, and DET support services where relevant.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of the School Strategic Plan as required.
• Maintain appropriate records and provide written and oral reports in accordance with DET and school policies.
• Other duties as directed by the Principal.

Who May Apply

Individuals with the aptitude, experience and/or qualifications to fulfill the specific requirements of the position.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines ).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via [e-mail]

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

Marra School is a brand-new dual-mode special school based in the NWVR in Kalkallo. The school opened at the beginning of 2026, for students with a mild-profound intellectual disability, aged 5 to 18 years old. The capacity of the school will gradually increase in the upcoming years, moving towards a peak enrolment of 250 students.

The school has been designed to help meet increasing enrolment demand from a growing local population. It will help students get high quality education close to home. The school comprises of two learning neighbourhoods, an administration and library building, and a multi-purpose building including rooms for music, drama, food tech and fitness. There are dedicated outdoor spaces including hard courts, play spaces, a sports field and staff car parking.

Marra School is a fully inclusive environment, with the students, families, staff and school at the heart of this vibrant community. We are looking for highly motivated staff who understand the complex needs of our incredible students and who embrace the school motto Strength in diversity. The school vision Aspirational education ensuring wellbeing and learning growth for all studentsalso partner with our three school values of Bravery, Resilience and Respect. Staff at Marra need to demonstrate these three values in their educational approach ensuring that they act with kindness, compassion and integrity and are willing to see beyond the barriers often in place for our students.

The school has a strong allied health team with Speech Pathologists, an Occupational Therapist, a Physiotherapist and an Allied Health Assistant, who support our teaching team to cater for the needs of the students. The leadership team have worked hard to structure the school to be a highly supportive working environment.

We are currently unable to support applications for candidates looking for sponsorship or who are not currently VIT registered.

Conditions of Employment

• All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
• Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
• A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
• Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Applications close Sunday 18 October 2026 at 11.59pm