WARGRAVE HOUSE SCHOOL JOB DESCRIPTION Name: Job Title: Occupational Therapist Reporting to: Head of Therapy Services Accountable to: Director of Services GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES Under the direction of the Director of Services:- The Occupational Therapist will be expected to develop this new role within Wargrave House School under the supervision of, and in direct consultation with, the Head of Therapy. The Occupational Therapist will play an active part in promoting good public relationships in the locality so as to increase public awareness of, and support for, the aims and objectives of the school. SPECIFIC DUTIES 1. To co-ordinate and implement the school s occupational therapy/sensory service. 2. To identify individual pupils or groups for direct and indirect intervention using a range of occupational therapy/sensory approaches. 3. To ensure that intervention programmes are offered as intensive or rotational basis. For Occupational Therapy to be successful there must be integration of the work done by the Occupational Therapist with the child s daily life in school and at home. 4. Assessing, ongoing monitoring and evaluation of pupils needs and progress in relation to their sensory functioning. 5. To ensure that assessment takes place in a variety of locations in such a way as to allow the child to be seen within the educational context and will take account of the assessment results of other professionals involved with the child. 6. To devise an intervention plan with short and long term measurable aims and outcomes.
7. To ensure that students are involved in the planning and prioritization of their OT intervention plans wherever possible. 8. To review these aims to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions, with modifications as appropriate, termly or sooner as appropriate. 9. Implementation of specific programmes designed to address individual pupils occupational therapy/sensory needs. 10. Update Sensory Advice Sheets in line with annual reviews (or sooner if necessary). 11. To maintain daily accurate and concise case notes. 12. Supply written reports and attend the annual review meetings of identified pupils who have been receiving occupational therapy input. This written report must reflect specialist knowledge. 13. Attend Behaviour Support/Dietary Support Meetings of identified pupils where possible. 14. Attend parents evenings and be available for consultation with parents regarding their child s occupational therapy/sensory issues. 15. Conduct home visits to discuss/demonstrate to parents their child s occupational therapy/sensory approaches being used, in order to transfer this practice to the home environment. 16. Keep abreast of current occupational therapy/sensory approaches by attending relevant training, seminars etc (at the discretion of the line manager). 17. To enable educational staff to incorporate the identified areas of Occupational Therapy programmes into the curriculum for each child with specific need. 18. Carry out annual monitoring to ensure that students Occupational Therapy / Sensory needs are being met as part of a whole school approach. 19. Deliver induction training in house to all new staff in understanding occupational therapy/sensory issues in autism. 20. Run parent workshops to educate and demonstrate occupational therapy/sensory techniques used in Wargrave House School. 21. To ensure that close links are made with the whole school curriculum by consultation with the Deputy Head of Education responsible for Curriculum, and subject leaders where appropriate.
22. Consult with teaching and residential staff in the planning and differentiation of curriculum topics by providing advice and sensory resources where required. 23. To provide structured sensory sessions in the residence on a rota basis in consultation with the Head of Speech and Language Therapy and the Head of Residential Services. 24. Offer advice and consultation to parents as required. 25. Undertake research projects under the direction of/jointly with the Head of Therapy Services, where identified. 26. Consult and work collaboratively with allied professionals in the field of ASD and sensory integration. 27. Be responsible for ordering stock and resources and ensuring that these are regularly maintained. 28. Contribute to the whole School Development Plan and track the progress of occupational therapy/sensory developments. 29. To be responsible for managing the occupational therapy/sensory budget. 30. To monitor stock levels and request new equipment in line with the School Development Plan. 31. To liaise with the Health & Safety coordinator regarding the care and maintenance of equipment. 32. Ensure that risk assessments are written as appropriate. 33. Review and update the Sensory Policy document. 34. To contribute to the development of a whole school policy for Occupational Therapy and review regularly. 35. To liaise regularly with the SENCo and key staff on individual occupational therapy programmes. 36. To attend case conferences, staff meetings, INSET days and parents meetings as requested by the Head of Education or senior staff. Although some of these may take place outside school hours, they are essential to maintain continuity and good communication between staff and parents and consistency in dealing with behaviour support. 37. To become familiar with the school s Whistle Blowing Policy and ensure that corporal punishment is NOT used at ANY time and that any incident witnessed, or cause for concern is reported to senior staff.
38. To become familiar with and observe the school s Health, Safety and Fire regulations, discipline and grievance procedures, and any other policy or guidelines which may bear on proper legal and safe job practice. 39. To maintain an up to date log of continuous professional development in relation to standards set by HPC & B College. 40. To maintain strict confidentiality concerning individual pupils. 41. To undertake specific tasks as required by the Director of Services and Head of Therapy Services. CARE STANDARDS ACT 2000 It is a requirement upon all staff to report (to the Child Protection Officer, Director of Services or Board of Trustees, or to the National Care Standards Commission or other approved inspectorate with which the school has an agreement for inspection under the Children Act 1989, or to the local social services authority or to the police) any concerns they may have about practices in the school, or the behaviour of colleagues, which they consider likely to put at risk of abuse or other serious harm. The school provides a guarantee that the procedures will be invoked in ways that do not prejudice any whistle blower s own position and prospects if they have reported an allegation or concern in good faith. It is a requirement that your job description makes it clear that failure by a member of staff to report actual or reasonably suspected physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect of a child is a disciplinary offence. CONFIDENTIALITY Maintain confidentiality for all areas of Wargrave House School, its staff and its work. The nature of the work within the school entrusts people with confidential information about the students, their families and staff. Any breach of this confidentiality will constitute gross misconduct. Note: This job description reflects the present requirements of the post. As duties and responsibilities change and develop, the job description will be reviewed and is subject to amendment in consultation with the postholder. C:\Documents and Settings\sue gledhill\desktop\occupational Therapist 2009.doc4 4
Signed and accepted.. Date..