Job summary
Would you like to work in a truly inter-disciplinary team and for an organisation with a focus on being child centred and parent positive?
We
are looking to recruit an Occupational Therapist with postgraduate training in
Sensory Integration, who is experienced working with neurodiversity to join our
Occupational Therapy team. The position will support both the Complex Trauma
Service as well as the Wellbeing Hub.
This role will be an exciting and challenging position working closely
in collaboration with psychotherapists and the wider team.
If you wish to apply please read the recruitment pack and email us a completed application form and a CV. (see attached documents)
Main duties of the job
We are interested in both experienced candidates as well as sensory integration trainees.
The ideal candidate:
- celebrates working as part of an integrated and multi-disciplinary team
- has some knowledge of Sensory Integration and is passionate to learn and integrate a Sensory Integration approach into their practice
- has experience or a strong interest in working with children and families in adoption, mental health, learning disability and schools
- is passionate about working with neuro-diverse children and their families
- has experience of working with children and families in a therapeutic setting
- is parent-positive and child-friendly
- wishes to develop their therapeutic skills in working with children, parents and families
- has a strong interest in learning about the Family Futures Neuro Physiological Psychotherapy (NPP) approach to the treatment of developmentally traumatised children.
About us
Family Futures is a Voluntary Adoption Agency specialising in providing
multi-disciplinary assessments and treatment to traumatised children. We were
awarded an outstanding rating for our last four consecutive inspections by
OFSTED including our most recent inspection in December 2022. We have a
reputation for innovation and offer a high-quality service an integrated
multi-disciplinary, assessment, treatment and family-finding service for
children who are traumatised and have attachment difficulties.
In March 2023, we launched our new Wellbeing Hub which offers
evidence-based, one-to-one therapy for children, young people, and families to
improve their mental health, relationships, physical health, and engagement at
school. As an OT, you would be involved in our new standalone Sensory
Integration assessments. Join our team and contribute to the development and
delivery of this service, making a positive impact on the wellbeing of our
community.
We offer excellent staff development opportunities and a highly nurturing environment. We are an equal opportunity employer and committed to creating an inclusive and diverse workforce. We encourage applications from suitably qualified applicatns regardless of age, disablity, sex, gender reassignment , sexual orientation, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil parntership.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Reports to:
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
Main Tasks:
The post holder will be responsible for providing:
- Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention with an emphasis on a Sensory Integration frame of reference to children seen by the Therapy Team, the i-Adopt and We-foster team, and the Wellbeing Hub, as well as some sensory intervention with parents about their own sensory function.
- OT intervention to several family teams (usually in the early stages of treatment) working with a variety of therapists (Psychotherapists, Psychologists, Social Workers).
- Assessment of prospective adoptive parents and of the prospective adoptive child through the i-Adopt service.
- Assessment as part of the team carrying out MDT Assessments.
The post holder will be working in a highly specialised clinical role, working with both children and young people (ages range from about 4-18 years) and their parents. The children and young people present with multiple sensory, attachment, mental health, emotional, physical and learning disabilities, many of whom have developmental trauma and exhibit complex and challenging behaviours.
Primary duties and areas of responsibility:
Collaboration with MDT and parent/s
- Operate collaboratively as an integrated member of the therapy team offering OT consultations, screening, comprehensive assessments and intervention to children and their parents/carers referred to Family Futures.
- To support and work collaboratively with the childs therapist in sessions.
- Work collaboratively with the parents as members of the team
- Be child focused and parent positive.
Assessment
- Provide functional OT assessment which has an emphasis on a sensory integration frame of reference, for children/young people within the context of the family, school and social environments.
- Administer a range of OT assessments.
- Involvement in MDT family assessments
- Sometimes to provide support to the in-house ASC and FASD assessment clinics
- Flag when further assessment or local services, for example, OT, Physiotherapy, SALT, Paediatrician, Behavioural Optometry, FASD, Cognitive, ASC assessment etc is required.
Intervention
- Provide therapeutic intervention with the core skills of Occupational Therapy underpinning the work, however it may be necessary to draw on other therapeutic interventions as required.
- Devise sensory diets for child/young person in consultation with the parents and the rest of the Therapy Team - implementing them both at home and at school.
- Provide intervention primarily at Family Futures, or if necessary, online on Teams to children and their parents/carers referred to Family Futures
- Provide school assessment and intervention for example, school observations, sensory intervention advice, EHCP contributions, training of school staff specifically about the adoptive child to help them manage optimally at school.
- Provide parent positive support.
- Occasionally carry out home visits to families in London and around the country when required.
Consultation
- To offer specialist consultation and advice to colleagues, as required, which may include recommending and supporting the childs therapy team with sensory strategies to use in their therapeutic intervention.
- Provide consultation in person, via telephone, online on Teams to parents/carers referred to Family Futures
Report writing
- Take responsibility for the compilation of OT assessment reports and case reviews that are completed to a high professional standard.
- Be involved in contributing to the compilation of comprehensive Family Futures assessment reports, network reports, end of year reports, closing reports and any other reports as required in connection to the children and their parents referred to Family Futures
- Write good quality and clear professional session notes for all sessions undertaken.
Liaison
- Liaise with the wider network - local authorities, health authorities, schools, and other agencies on behalf of Family Futures, and attend and sometimes lead professionals meetings on behalf of Family Futures
IT and organisational skills
- Maintain good and up to date computer records, and work within the Family Futures procedures for paper-less working.
- Be efficient in managing case load and keeping up to date with email messages and then to respond appropriately, and in a timely fashion.
Supervision
- To attend monthly supervision with line manager and monthly team supervision
- Attend family supervisions with therapy team.
Meetings
- To attend all relevant weekly and monthly therapy team meetings, and participate fully as a member of the Family Futures therapy team.
Any other reasonable requests by Family Futures.
Manner of Work:
To adhere to the policies and procedures of Family Futures as laid down in the Adoption Agency handbook and Statement of Purpose, this includes child protection and equal opportunities policies.
- At all times, to maintain the highest standards of professional practice and to comply with the requirements for registration of their respective professional body, RCOT, and Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and to keep their professional membership up to date.
- To work in a collaborative and empathetic manner with parents, children and their support networks
- Family Futures provides monthly individual clinical and management supervision, and monthly team consultation with our psychotherapist.
- External profession specific supervision by a member of their own profession may be required.
- To be aware of the need for personal therapy due to the particular nature of the work undertaken at Family Futures and to be prepared to fund personal therapy should at any time it appear to be a requirement of the job
- Adhere to Family Futures policies and procedures in respect of equal opportunities, health & safety, safeguarding children and client service satisfaction.
- Adhere to the regulations and standards for Voluntary Adoption Agencies and Independent Fostering Agencies
- Ensure that duties are undertaken with due regard and compliance with the Data Protection Act and Family Futures confidentiality standards
Job description
Job responsibilities
Reports to:
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
Main Tasks:
The post holder will be responsible for providing:
- Occupational Therapy assessment and intervention with an emphasis on a Sensory Integration frame of reference to children seen by the Therapy Team, the i-Adopt and We-foster team, and the Wellbeing Hub, as well as some sensory intervention with parents about their own sensory function.
- OT intervention to several family teams (usually in the early stages of treatment) working with a variety of therapists (Psychotherapists, Psychologists, Social Workers).
- Assessment of prospective adoptive parents and of the prospective adoptive child through the i-Adopt service.
- Assessment as part of the team carrying out MDT Assessments.
The post holder will be working in a highly specialised clinical role, working with both children and young people (ages range from about 4-18 years) and their parents. The children and young people present with multiple sensory, attachment, mental health, emotional, physical and learning disabilities, many of whom have developmental trauma and exhibit complex and challenging behaviours.
Primary duties and areas of responsibility:
Collaboration with MDT and parent/s
- Operate collaboratively as an integrated member of the therapy team offering OT consultations, screening, comprehensive assessments and intervention to children and their parents/carers referred to Family Futures.
- To support and work collaboratively with the childs therapist in sessions.
- Work collaboratively with the parents as members of the team
- Be child focused and parent positive.
Assessment
- Provide functional OT assessment which has an emphasis on a sensory integration frame of reference, for children/young people within the context of the family, school and social environments.
- Administer a range of OT assessments.
- Involvement in MDT family assessments
- Sometimes to provide support to the in-house ASC and FASD assessment clinics
- Flag when further assessment or local services, for example, OT, Physiotherapy, SALT, Paediatrician, Behavioural Optometry, FASD, Cognitive, ASC assessment etc is required.
Intervention
- Provide therapeutic intervention with the core skills of Occupational Therapy underpinning the work, however it may be necessary to draw on other therapeutic interventions as required.
- Devise sensory diets for child/young person in consultation with the parents and the rest of the Therapy Team - implementing them both at home and at school.
- Provide intervention primarily at Family Futures, or if necessary, online on Teams to children and their parents/carers referred to Family Futures
- Provide school assessment and intervention for example, school observations, sensory intervention advice, EHCP contributions, training of school staff specifically about the adoptive child to help them manage optimally at school.
- Provide parent positive support.
- Occasionally carry out home visits to families in London and around the country when required.
Consultation
- To offer specialist consultation and advice to colleagues, as required, which may include recommending and supporting the childs therapy team with sensory strategies to use in their therapeutic intervention.
- Provide consultation in person, via telephone, online on Teams to parents/carers referred to Family Futures
Report writing
- Take responsibility for the compilation of OT assessment reports and case reviews that are completed to a high professional standard.
- Be involved in contributing to the compilation of comprehensive Family Futures assessment reports, network reports, end of year reports, closing reports and any other reports as required in connection to the children and their parents referred to Family Futures
- Write good quality and clear professional session notes for all sessions undertaken.
Liaison
- Liaise with the wider network - local authorities, health authorities, schools, and other agencies on behalf of Family Futures, and attend and sometimes lead professionals meetings on behalf of Family Futures
IT and organisational skills
- Maintain good and up to date computer records, and work within the Family Futures procedures for paper-less working.
- Be efficient in managing case load and keeping up to date with email messages and then to respond appropriately, and in a timely fashion.
Supervision
- To attend monthly supervision with line manager and monthly team supervision
- Attend family supervisions with therapy team.
Meetings
- To attend all relevant weekly and monthly therapy team meetings, and participate fully as a member of the Family Futures therapy team.
Any other reasonable requests by Family Futures.
Manner of Work:
To adhere to the policies and procedures of Family Futures as laid down in the Adoption Agency handbook and Statement of Purpose, this includes child protection and equal opportunities policies.
- At all times, to maintain the highest standards of professional practice and to comply with the requirements for registration of their respective professional body, RCOT, and Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and to keep their professional membership up to date.
- To work in a collaborative and empathetic manner with parents, children and their support networks
- Family Futures provides monthly individual clinical and management supervision, and monthly team consultation with our psychotherapist.
- External profession specific supervision by a member of their own profession may be required.
- To be aware of the need for personal therapy due to the particular nature of the work undertaken at Family Futures and to be prepared to fund personal therapy should at any time it appear to be a requirement of the job
- Adhere to Family Futures policies and procedures in respect of equal opportunities, health & safety, safeguarding children and client service satisfaction.
- Adhere to the regulations and standards for Voluntary Adoption Agencies and Independent Fostering Agencies
- Ensure that duties are undertaken with due regard and compliance with the Data Protection Act and Family Futures confidentiality standards
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of undertaking OT assessment of children is essential.
- Experience of working with children and families in a therapeutic setting for mental health, physical disability and/or learning disability is essential.
- Experience of co-ordinating and writing reports that include formulations of children with recommendations for treatments is essential
Desirable
- Experience of working with children and families in the field of fostering and adoption is not essential.
- Experience of working with a high degree of complexity is ideal but not es-essential.
Skills
Essential
- To have an empathetic understanding of the complexities of contemporary adoption
- To be able to engage with children and adults in a sympathetic and empath-ic way.
- An ability to work collaboratively as a member of an integrated MDT
- Ability to engage with children and young people with additional and com-plex needs
- Ability to recognise impact of trauma on self and engage in self-care, to support and maintain own regulation.
- Ability to assess and manage risk and respond appropriately to safeguard-ing issues.
- Excellent report writing skills.
- Must be able to travel (when required)
- A good communicator with exceptional organisational skills
- Ability to communicate well in writing and to be able to type at a reasona-ble speed, with an ability to use computers and Microsoft office
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the principles of sensory integration theory, sensory in-integration assessment and the impact of developmental trauma on sensory and motor development is essential.
- An understanding of working therapeutically with families, children and adults is essential.
- An understanding of theory and research in the field of developmental trauma, sensory integration, attachment and therapeutic interventions with children and their parents is not essential.
- An understanding of safeguarding children issues as well as an understanding of equal opportunities, data protection and general good practice is essential.
- An understanding and competence in using computers and office technology is essential.
Desirable
- An understanding of contemporary adoption and fostering law and practice is essential.
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy (OT)
- Member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists
- Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC) registration
Desirable
- Postgraduate training in Sensory Integration or sensory integration trainee
Values
Essential
- Be child focused and parent positive.
- Commitment to empowering service users at all levels
- Support the values and beliefs of biopsychosocial models of work and the Family Futures NPP model
- To show respect and an enthusiasm for the work of Family Futures and its users
- Commitment to multidisciplinary team working.
- The belief that people with mental and physical illness have the capacity for personal growth and learning, and the same goals as any other person.
- The belief that service users have the intrinsic right to be involved in all as-pects of their care, including the development and evaluation of the service.
- To show respect to all staff at Family Futures
- To show respect to all clients and staff by following the Equal Opportunities Policy and working in accordance with the Equality Act (2010).
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience of undertaking OT assessment of children is essential.
- Experience of working with children and families in a therapeutic setting for mental health, physical disability and/or learning disability is essential.
- Experience of co-ordinating and writing reports that include formulations of children with recommendations for treatments is essential
Desirable
- Experience of working with children and families in the field of fostering and adoption is not essential.
- Experience of working with a high degree of complexity is ideal but not es-essential.
Skills
Essential
- To have an empathetic understanding of the complexities of contemporary adoption
- To be able to engage with children and adults in a sympathetic and empath-ic way.
- An ability to work collaboratively as a member of an integrated MDT
- Ability to engage with children and young people with additional and com-plex needs
- Ability to recognise impact of trauma on self and engage in self-care, to support and maintain own regulation.
- Ability to assess and manage risk and respond appropriately to safeguard-ing issues.
- Excellent report writing skills.
- Must be able to travel (when required)
- A good communicator with exceptional organisational skills
- Ability to communicate well in writing and to be able to type at a reasona-ble speed, with an ability to use computers and Microsoft office
Knowledge
Essential
- An understanding of the principles of sensory integration theory, sensory in-integration assessment and the impact of developmental trauma on sensory and motor development is essential.
- An understanding of working therapeutically with families, children and adults is essential.
- An understanding of theory and research in the field of developmental trauma, sensory integration, attachment and therapeutic interventions with children and their parents is not essential.
- An understanding of safeguarding children issues as well as an understanding of equal opportunities, data protection and general good practice is essential.
- An understanding and competence in using computers and office technology is essential.
Desirable
- An understanding of contemporary adoption and fostering law and practice is essential.
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree/Diploma in Occupational Therapy (OT)
- Member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists
- Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC) registration
Desirable
- Postgraduate training in Sensory Integration or sensory integration trainee
Values
Essential
- Be child focused and parent positive.
- Commitment to empowering service users at all levels
- Support the values and beliefs of biopsychosocial models of work and the Family Futures NPP model
- To show respect and an enthusiasm for the work of Family Futures and its users
- Commitment to multidisciplinary team working.
- The belief that people with mental and physical illness have the capacity for personal growth and learning, and the same goals as any other person.
- The belief that service users have the intrinsic right to be involved in all as-pects of their care, including the development and evaluation of the service.
- To show respect to all staff at Family Futures
- To show respect to all clients and staff by following the Equal Opportunities Policy and working in accordance with the Equality Act (2010).
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
