Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist (Band 7)
Join our new Neurodiversity Support Team and play a key role in helping schools across BNSSG better understand and support neurodivergent children and young people.
The Neurodiversity Support Team is a multidisciplinary clinical service working in partnership with education settings to deliver high-quality Neurodivergent Needs Analyses. The team provides expert guidance, consultation and quality assurance to ensure needs profiles are consistent, meaningful and impactful.
As part of a system-wide programme, the service is introducing Neurodivergent Needs Analysis across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG). The team works closely with schools across the region, providing training, consultation and practical support to help them better understand and respond to the needs of neurodivergent children and young people.
The service champions early intervention and a needs-led approach, focusing on each child or young person's strengths and challenges rather than diagnostic labels.
We are looking for a Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist to join this developing team and help shape a new way of supporting neurodivergent children and young people!
Available hours: 18.75 hours per week - this is the minimum and maximum contracted hours for the post.
Main duties of the job
Working as part of the Neurodiversity Support Team, the post holder will provide expertise in motor skills and sensory processing development, contributing to OT-focused analyses of needs, tailored advice and support strategies for CYP with neurodivergent needs.
The post holder will contribute to the delivery of a high-quality, neurodiversity-affirming service for children and young people by supporting education settings to understand, discuss and apply Neurodivergent Needs Analyses, working collaboratively with school staff to explore presenting needs, strengths and appropriate strategies.
Key responsibilities include:
* Carry out assessments of neurodivergent needs with schools, parents/carers and CYP
* Upskill education colleagues and other professionals to assess and meet the neurodivergent needs of CYP
* Discuss and agree appropriate strategies with patients, carers and other health care professionals, promoting health education and self-management.
* Liaise closely with other services in order to provide a co-ordinated and seamless service for patients and support the ongoing development of care pathways for Neurodivergent strengths and needs.
* Provide supervision and specialist expertise to other professionals within the team
About us
Ever dreamt about a career that sparks excitement and fosters your professional growth? Picture yourself waking up eager to make a real difference in our community, surrounded by teams who value your unique ideas.
We are Sirona care & health - England's largest provider of Adult's and Children's Community Services and we'd love for you to join us in Bristol, North Somerset or South Gloucestershire.
Agenda for Change Salary, full NHS benefits, 27+ days' annual leave, and participation in the NHS Pension Scheme - just a glimpse of the benefits you'll receive.
We welcome and encourage all applicants. We are committed to having a workforce that reflects the communities we support and we'd love to see your diversity bring in opportunities. We know diversity fosters creativity and innovation.
We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where all belong. We aim to draw upon the widest possible range of views and experiences to meet the changing needs of our colleagues, partners and communities we serve.
Whether you're starting your journey in healthcare, looking for a fresh challenge within the NHS, or contemplating a career change, don't be daunted by the prospect of something different - we create development opportunities for all our colleagues and apprentices.
Interested? View our benefits leaflet which you can find attached to this vacancy.
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description for a full list of duties and responsibilities before applying for this position.
If you refer to qualifications or employment within your supporting statement, that has not been included in your Qualifications, Training or Employment History, this information may be discounted.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training Required
* Degree or equivalent in Occupational Therapy
* Registration with the Health Care Professions Council
* Registered with the RCOT
* Training courses relevant to autism / ADHD / neurodevelopmental conditions
Skills, Experience and Knowledge Required
* Extensive knowledge and experience in Neurodiversity or Neurodevelopmental Services
* Detailed understanding of neurodevelopmental conditions and differential diagnosis, in order to apply this to needs analyses
* Extensive experience of providing specialist support to children with complex motor skills/sensory needs
* Previous experience in delivering training sessions
* Extensive experience in working with children and young people with neurodevelopmental conditions
* Extensive experience of working with education settings
* Experience of line management and/or supervision
* Extensive previous experience of neurodivergent needs analysis tools
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Hawkfield Business Park, Whitchurch Lane
Neurodiversity and Improvement Operational Lead
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