Occupational Therapist

Sheffield City Council; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible working opportunities

Job summary

Sheffield City Council is seeking an Occupational Therapist to join the Neurodiversity and Complex Needs Team within Adults Future Options. The role focuses on specialist assessment, intervention and support planning to maximise participation and independence for neurodivergent adults.

You will work with adults, families and carers to shape a strengths-based, person-centred service and to reduce crises and unnecessary restrictions while promoting meaningful occupation.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to perform occupational therapy assessments of functional ability and risk.
• Experience in developing person-centred intervention and behaviour support plans.
• Ability to promote independence and manage environmental adaptations.

Responsibilities

• Conduct OT assessments of functional ability, performance, risk, and behaviour.
• Develop person-centred interventions and support plans to reduce restrictions and promote independence.
• Contribute to contingency planning for acute support needs.
• Provide direct OT assessment and intervention where appropriate.
• Address sensory processing considerations and refer for sensory assessments when needed.
• Assess environmental factors and recommend suitable adaptations.
• Collaborate with providers and partner agencies to support care planning.
• Promote use of assistive technology and equipment.
• Provide OT guidance to managers, social workers and carers.
• Advocate for independence, inclusion, and least restrictive practice.
• Support autistic and neurodivergent adults and those with complex needs.
• Work across organisational boundaries and contribute to service development.

Skills

OT assessments

Behaviour support

Risk assessment

Environmental adaptations

Assistive technology

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Independent practice

Education

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

Tools

Assistive tech tools

Job description

Adults Future Options, Neurodiversity and Complex Needs Team

Occupational Health posts with Adult Social Care

Sheffield is on an exciting journey to transform Adult Social Care so that every adult is supported to maximise their independence and live safely, healthily and well. We are seeking a skilled and motivated Occupational Therapist to join our newly established Neurodiversity and Complex Needs Team within Adults Future Options.

You will help shape to a specialist multidisciplinary service for neurodivergent adults and people with complex needs. The team will provide high-quality assessment, intervention and support planning to prevent crises, reduce unnecessary restrictions, promote meaningful occupation and improve independence.

About The Role

As an Occupational Therapist, you will use specialist assessment and intervention skills to understand how a person’s strengths, needs, routines, environment and support arrangements affect their daily life. You will work collaboratively with adults, families, carers, commissioned providers and partner agencies to develop practical, strengths-based solutions that improve participation, safety and independence.

Key responsibilities

• Undertaking occupational therapy assessments of functional ability, occupational performance, behavioural need and risk.


• Developing person-centred intervention and positive behaviour support plans that identify safe and proportionate ways to reduce restrictions, promote meaningful activity and foster independence.


• Contributing to contingency planning where a person may experience an acute need for more intensive support.


• Providing direct one-to-one occupational therapy assessment and intervention where appropriate.


• Considering sensory processing needs and promoting sensory-aware approaches, with referral to specialist health services where a formal sensory assessment is required.


• Assessing environmental factors that may affect safety, participation or independence, and recommending appropriate adaptations.


• Working jointly with commissioned providers and partner agencies to gather evidence, inform care planning and constructively challenge unnecessary or disproportionate restrictions.


• Assessing for, recommending and supporting the effective use of assistive technology, equipment and adaptations.


• Providing occupational therapy advice, consultation and support to managers, social workers, social care practitioners, carers and providers.


• Is committed to promoting independence, choice, inclusion and least restrictive practice.


• Has knowledge or experience of supporting autistic people, neurodivergent adults and/or people with complex needs.


• Can work effectively across organisational and professional boundaries.


• Is reflective, organised and enthusiastic about service development and innovation.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form. Sometimes, if lots of people apply, we might not be able to interview everyone who qualifies for the Guarantee. In these cases, we’ll interview the candidates who best meet the essential criteria for the job.

Benefits and working arrangements

• Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year


• Generous holiday entitlement


• Flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our Sheff news page.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.