Occupational Therapist - Walker Day School

Walker; Needham Heights (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

Walker is seeking an Occupational Therapist to provide direct therapy services focused on students with developmental impairments. The role includes working collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team and involves implementing tailored interventions while ensuring a safe, therapeutic environment.

Requirements include a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy and experience with behavioral and learning disabilities. The position encourages professional development and adherence to Walker's care model, including various therapeutic interventions.

Qualifications

• Experience working with social, emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities.
• Experience working within a multidisciplinary team and with consultation and assessment.

Responsibilities

• Work as a part of a multidisciplinary team to develop children emotionally and educationally.
• Implement treatment protocols and therapeutic strategies in students' treatment plans.
• Ensure a safe and therapeutic environment for children.

Skills

Flexibility

Collaborative work

Emergency response

Understanding of child development

Therapeutic physical intervention

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy

Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy

Job description

Overview

The Occupational Therapist provides direct therapy services to students with OT development impairments, consultation to teachers, parents and other professionals, and diagnostic se. Committed to child centered, family focused culturally competent care and strength-based treatment.

Education and Licensure

• Required: Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy; Occupational Therapy certification
• Preferred: Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy

Experience

• Required: Experience working with social, emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities
• Preferred: Experience working within a multidisciplinary team; experience with consultation and assessment

Abilities

• Required mental abilities: Ability to be flexible and work collaboratively. Ability to respond to emergency situations quickly and safely. Ability to work in a stressful and fast paced environment. Must understand child development and the impact of emotional, behavioral, and learning disabilities. Must understand issues of confidentiality. Must be receptive to supervision and professional development.
• Required physical abilities: Ability to work and stand for extended period of time. Job may require bending, stooping, stretching, and lifting. Job requires the ability to perform therapeutic physical intervention as needed.

Essential functions

• Work as a part of a multidisciplinary team to further the emotional, behavioral, and educational development of children.
• Apply Walker’s model of childcare, including Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI), which requires physical restraint when necessary, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, cooperative group games, and behavioral support.
• Implement treatment protocol and appropriate therapeutic strategies established in children’s treatment plans, IEPs, and individual support plans.
• Meet children’s physical needs and provide a safe and therapeutic environment for children.
• Actively participate in supervision and professional development opportunities offered at Walker.
• Follow and implement all Walker policies and procedures.
• Provide focused Occupational Therapy interventions to students in 1:1 settings and/or small groups.
• Conduct Occupational Therapy groups in self-contained classrooms as needed.
• Consult with teachers on OT needs of students with sensory needs and on ways of leading groups.
• Consult with parents directly and through family workers on OT difficulties of individual students.
• Provide in-service education to teachers, clinicians and childcare workers on occupational therapy difficulties, diagnostics, and remediation.
• Conduct annual pre-testing and post-testing in OT development for students seen in individual therapy.
• Screen intake/admission materials to determine which students need diagnostic testing.
• Provide formal and informal Occupational Therapy diagnostic assessment as recommended by Principal and teachers.
• Document client performance; write progress notes for Quarterly Progress reports.
• Organize, monitor and maintain occupational therapy materials.
• Write full assessment reports/sensory profile based on diagnostic results.
• Attend TEAM meetings, IEP meetings, and Multidisciplinary Team Meetings as needed.
• Supervise Occupational Therapy assistants/interns as directed by the Principal; support assistant/intern in determining schedule, preparing materials/activities/lessons, monitoring progress of students).
• Provide additional coverage to the Day Program as needed.
• Participate fully in in-service training programs and staff meetings.
• All other duties, as assigned.

Supervision

• Supervision to be received: Directly responsible to and supervised by the Principal
• Supervision to be exercised: None