Qualified Habilitation Specialist

Staffordshire County Council; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A Local Authority in the United Kingdom seeks a qualified Habilitation Specialist to support children and young people with vision impairment. You will assess, implement, and review training programs while maintaining professional development. Candidates should hold relevant qualifications and have experience working with children aged 0–25. This is a dynamic role requiring significant travel and a commitment to inclusion.

Qualifications

• To hold the Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight Graduate Diploma.
• Experience of supporting students with vision loss is essential.
• Registered with an appropriate professional body upon appointment.

Responsibilities

• Assess and implement training programs for students with vision impairment.
• Deliver Habilitation awareness training to various stakeholders.
• Maintain professional development activities regularly.

Skills

Experience with children and young people aged 0-25

Knowledge of visual impairment

Confidence in delivering training

Full UK driving license

Education

Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight Graduate Diploma

BSc Hons Top-up Degree in Habilitation Studies

Rehabilitation Officer Diploma

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a qualified Habilitation Specialist to join Staffordshire Vision Inclusion Team supporting Children and Young People from 0-25 across Staffordshire. You will be supporting vision impaired /blind students as part of the Specialist Teaching Support Service.

Our large centrally based Vision Inclusion Team consists of Specialist Teachers, Communication Support Workers, Mobility Officers (1.6FTE), a VI Role Model, and an ICT Support Technician. We support children and young people 0-25 with a vision loss in a variety of settings including homes, nurseries, mainstream schools, colleges, and specialist provision. We maintain a strong commitment to multi‑agency working, inclusive education, high standards of attainment, and quality of life experiences for all our pupils.

Main Responsibilities

• Assess, plan, implement, and review training programmes for CYP with vision impairment (including those with complex needs) and include an integrated approach to the development of social and self‑determination skills.
• Implement and deliver all independent travel skills including use of public transport, cane skills and the use of electronic APP's / devices.
• Deliver Habilitation awareness training to a variety of settings / stakeholders building capacity across the LA.
• Work in a range of environments, including the home and home area, educational, and public settings, working flexibly based around student and Service need.
• Periodically review the Aims and Objectives for the delivery of Habilitation Training, taking account Delivery of Habilitation Training (Mobility and Independent Living Skills) for Children and Young People with Vision impairment (2011; 2021).
• Maintain Continued Professional Development activities as prescribed by Habilitation VI UK or associated Professional Bodies to maintain competence and relevance.
• Maintain an awareness of current thinking, research, and relevant developments in Habilitation (mobility, orientation, and independence), to improve and further develop service provision.

The Ideal Candidate

You’ll need:

• To hold the Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight Graduate Diploma and one or more of the following qualifications:
  • BSc Hons Top‑up Degree in Habilitation Studies (BCU Birmingham City University)
  • Rehabilitation Officer Diploma / Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) – Working with Children with Visual Impairment
  • or another nationally recognised qualification in habilitation training for children and young people with visual impairment
• If you hold a Foundation Degree in Rehabilitation Work (Visual Impairment) or a Diploma in Higher Education in Rehabilitation Studies, you need to demonstrate a commitment to further study to achieve full habilitation accreditation.
• Experience working with children and young people aged 0‑25 years.
• Experience of supporting students with vision loss and a passion for inclusion; confident in imparting your knowledge and expertise to a variety of stakeholders.
• To be registered with an appropriate professional body upon appointment.
• A “can do” attitude and approach. We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and committed person, who will work flexibly within a variety of settings to support a high quality, inclusive habilitation experience for children with vision loss.
• A full UK driving licence or an alternative means of meeting the travel requirements is required; the post is designated as an essential car user and business insurance will be required.

This role involves significant travel covering a large county area in all weather conditions, handling specialist equipment, and delivering practical habilitation training, so resilience and adaptability are key. This is a rewarding role where you can truly make a difference.

Contact Information

For more details or an informal chat please contact: Donna McNaughton – Team Lead, Vision Inclusion Team on Telephone: [phone] or Email: [e-mail].

Interviews will be held on the 16th December.

Recruitment Process

We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, especially the supporting statement, to highlight what you’ll bring to the role.

As part of our safer recruitment, and in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education, it is recommended that we carry out the following checks: online searches.

EEO Statement & Safeguarding

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and communities. As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers, we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Our recruitment process is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.