Job Description

Band 7 Children's Occupational Therapist ,Russet House Special Needs School

Hrs:

Part time ,15hrs/week.

Contract:

Permanent



Job Overview



We are a dynamic, friendly OT team who report high levels of job satisfaction. We offer a professionally led service with direct support from an OT Clinical Lead Specialist, monthly in-service team training, effective supervision and External Training opportunities through the Trust.



An exciting opportunity has risen for a highly motivated Occupational Therapist who wishes to develop specialist skills in Paediatrics within a supportive team. We are looking for a creative, friendly and enthusiastic OT to join our established Children's Team. We are located within easy commuter links from central London/Hertfordshire.



This is an OT post based at Russet House Special School. Russet House is a primary school for autistic children aged 3 to 11 with Special Educational Needs.



The role will include staff/parent training and class-based provision as well as specialist individual work. You will also be providing OT support to Russet House School families in the school holidays.



Please see job description for further details



To work within the Russet House school OT team to develop and provide Occupational Therapy services for Pupils who attend Russet House School (a maintained special school for Autistic Pupils, 3-11 years) both at home and school.



To provide high quality child centred, occupationally focused assessment and intervention to Russet House Pupils school pupils and their families.



To work with the OT team and school Leadership to plan and develop the OT service into Russet House school schoolworking at a Universal, Targeted and Specialist level.



To contribute to and lead on aspects of planning, co-ordinating, delivering and evaluating the Children's Occupational Therapy Service. To contribute to and lead on specified service improvements in relation to the post and quality initiatives within the team.



To work as an autonomous practitioner with access to supervision.



To supervise, appraise and train Pupils and junior staff as required.



To work effectively and flexibly within an interdisciplinary framework in a multidisciplinary and multi-agency environment, including working with teachers, community providers, social workers, SLT, psychologists, dieticians, paediatricians, physiotherapists and other professionals



To be flexible to the demands of the service in regard to location of work and area of clinical specialism.



About our AHP strategy



Allied Health Professions (AHPs) are the third largest workforce in the Trust and include dietitians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, and speech and language therapists.



AHPs can work autonomously, lead teams and have a critical contribution to make to children and adults and all patient journeys including end-of-life care. AHPs provide direct patient care, offer numerous rehabilitation approaches, operate sophisticated diagnostic, screening and treatment equipment and contribute to broader population health outcomes.



Many patients have complex needs and AHPs, whether working autonomously or in collaboration with other health and social care staff, have a positive impact on health outcomes and are essential to high quality, timely and accessible healthcare.



The seven strategic ambitions set out our unique contribution as dietitians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers, and speech and language therapists to delivering the Trust's strategy. They recognise the innovations and improvements that have already been achieved.



To manage a school caseload of young people with a range of needs including those with complex disabilities, providing occupationally focused assessment and intervention.

To work with the Russet House school and school team to develop a high quality, evidence-based service provision into Russet House school. This will include staff training and Universal and Targeted provision as well as Specialist support.

To provide both home and school-based OT input to the Pupils in Russet House school, focusing on occupational areas of need and preparing Pupils for adulthood.

To set occupationally focused intervention goals with children and/or their parents/carers and schools that are child centred and agreed by the child and/or their parents/carers and school staff.

To set and maintain high standards of clinical practice, which is evidence based, and includes outcome measures to monitor achievement of person-centred goals and whole class approaches.

To work alongside teaching staff to provide class based targeted intervention packages of care.

To work within an occupational frame of reference.



To demonstrate the ability to analyse the interplay of the child, environment and activity when assessing the child's level of functioning and identifying appropriate strategies and intervention to facilitate and enhance participation in self-care, school and play/leisure.

To devise and manage a specialised treatment plan individual to a child's presenting condition through occupationally focused intervention, school equipment provision (as appropriate), school and parental support & training, advice & strategies and programmes.

To form productive relationships with parents/carers who may be under stress.

To advise and teach parents/carers and school staff of children with additional needs on appropriate on-going Occupational Therapy management programmes. To develop integrated support plans with schools, multidisciplinary teams and external agencies to ensure effective management in achieving the best care for the child.

To work as part of the core OT service in the delivery of training and workshop programmes to educational establishments, to best help children achieve outcomes within inclusive facilities.



To have the ability, knowledge and skills required for moving and handling children in school environments.



To assess and manage clinical risk concerning the treatment of clients in own caseload and support junior staff to do the same e.g. Manual Handling risk assessment, Trust lone working Policy.

To implement evidence-based practice and manage clinical risk within specific area of specialism. To demonstrate clinical effectiveness in specialist area thorough the use of outcome measures and audits.

To work within a multidisciplinary and multi-agency framework.



To provide clinical support to junior staff and colleagues

To work within the standards and guidelines of the Children's Occupational Therapy Service, the Trust, the British Association of Occupational Therapy (BAOT) and the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC)

To understand and apply National Guidelines and Legislation relating to Health, Education and Social Care in occupational therapy practise.

To have a good working knowledge of the Code of Practice and Educational Care Health Plans.

To be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines and frequent interruptions.

To complete other duties that may be delegated as appropriate by senior staff