Children's Senior Occupational Therapist

The Methodist Church in Britain; Reigate, Woking; Remote; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Home or remote working

Job summary

Surrey County Council's Children\'s Occupational Therapy service is seeking a senior occupational therapist to lead complex cases and supervise staff in the Children with Disabilities team East. You will assess home needs, arrange equipment and home adaptations, and collaborate with families and partner councils while supporting case meetings.

Applicants must have HCPC registration, a degree in Occupational Therapy and a valid driving licence with access to a vehicle.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration required.
• Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy.

Responsibilities

• Assess children's needs at home and advise on independence, function and safe care.
• Provide specialist equipment, manual handling assessments and home adaptations with district and borough councils.
• Manage complex cases, balancing risk and safeguarding with the child\'s needs at the centre.
• Assess and manage higher levels of risk, balancing support and control.
• Work with children, parents and carers to remove barriers and promote daily activities.
• Collaborate with a wide network of professionals, including more senior levels.
• Share responsibility for the induction, supervision and training of less experienced staff and students.
• Offer expert support at case meetings.
• Recommend equipment and adaptations within the budget set by assessed need.
• Advise less experienced colleagues on budget and cost of services.
• Apply professional judgement to employ interventions that promote choice, control and independence.

Skills

HCPC registration

Supervision

Stakeholder communication

Risk assessment

Training staff

Home visiting

IT literacy

Education

Degree in Occupational Therapy

Tools

IT literacy

Job description

This senior post sits in the Children's Occupational Therapy service within the Children with Disabilities team East at Surrey County Council. Work centres on assessing children's needs at home and arranging equipment, advice and home adaptations with families and partner councils. The senior role covers complex, higher-risk cases and supervising and training less experienced staff and students, with home or remote working offered. HCPC registration and a valid driving licence with access to a vehicle are required.

What the job involves

• Assess children's needs in the home and advise on independence, function and safe care
• Provide specialist equipment, manual handling assessments and home adaptations with district and borough councils
• Manage complex cases, balancing risk and safeguarding with the child's needs at the centre
• Assess and manage higher levels of risk, balancing support and control
• Work with children, parents and carers to remove barriers and promote daily activities
• Collaborate with a wide network of professionals, including more senior levels
• Share responsibility for the induction, supervision and training of less experienced staff and students
• Offer expert support at case meetings
• Recommend equipment and adaptations within the budget set by assessed need
• Advise less experienced colleagues on budget and cost of services
• Apply professional judgement to employ interventions that promote choice, control and independence

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy

Registration & licences

• HCPC registration

Experience

• Experience in children's social care occupational therapy or other children's occupational therapy

Skills & knowledge

• Current applied knowledge of national and local social care policy, guidance and legislation
• Understanding of confidentiality and information governance in social care
• Understanding of how diversity affects practice
• Clear, concise, jargon-free communication, verbal and written
• Engaging people in complex situations and difficult conversations
• Explaining professional reasoning and decisions clearly in records

Checks & eligibility

• Valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle

Other

• Chairing meetings and offering expert support at case meetings
• Developing partnership working across multi-agency and multidisciplinary teams
• Understanding power differentials and using authority appropriately
• Basic IT and numeracy skills for monitoring discussions
• Willingness to travel across a wide geographical area
• Skilled professional judgement in interventions, including in crises

What’s offered

• Flexible working
• Home or remote working
• Guaranteed interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum shortlisting criteria
• Support with adjustments from application to first day