Occupational Therapist

St George Preca School has a 1.0 FTE position for a suitably qualified Occupational Therapist. An application for a part-time FTE can be negotiated. The position is from the start of Term 2 2024 with a 6-month probation period before becoming an ongoing position.

The successful applicant will be a member of our Learning Diversity Team which includes a speech pathologist, psychologist, community liaison officers, curriculum leaders and classroom support staff.

Role & Responsibilities

To utilise existing occupational therapy models of practice to inform, direct and deliver occupational therapy services within an educational setting

• Provide direct support to students where necessary to support deficits or support the development of functional skills within an educational setting
• Provide consultation and support to staff concerning the development and delivery of occupational therapy-specific supports
• Identify areas of need in addressing students' functional capacity and provide intervention, support or training where necessary
• Maintain a strengths-based approach when delivering or designing relevant occupational therapy services that are evidence-based
• Provide appropriate ergonomic recommendations for students and staff workstations
• Resource classroom/students with appropriate OT equipment, including maintenance and purchasing
• Support classroom staff with the interpretation and implementation of personalised sensory strategies as recommended by private therapists (where appropriate given the context of the school and classroom)

Tailor individual sensory and motor supports for students

• Collaborate with teachers for optimal environmental setup in the classroom for the individual needs of students. i.e., zoning. For example, quiet space, break space, movement space, visual input, and seating plans.
• Collaborate with classroom teachers and parents to administer sensory-based assessment
• Observe students in their environment to further support and inform recommendations
• Write and provide a report of sensory-based assessment where appropriate
• Document and provide classroom staff with individual-based sensory strategies and recommendations as guided by classroom observations and or assessment
• Tailor academic learning tasks for individuals that address deficits
• Collaborate with teachers on differentiating the individual learning needs of students
• Collaborate with teachers to support individual students accessing their curriculum learning by providing recommendations and feedback on praxis related to students' learning needs

Provide direct support to students addressing physical/social/emotional needs

• Support staff in understanding and teaching emotional regulation strategies to students
• Provide information, feedback, and recommendations regarding emotional regulation interventions
• Support the delivery of intervention for social thinking and emotional regulation in classrooms where appropriate
• Delivery of social thinking curriculum to class cohorts of students in collaboration with the school speech pathologist
• Provide information and professional learning in functional competencies for all students including personal care, mobility
• Support return-to-school planning for students who encounter musculoskeletal injuries in collaboration with the School Nurse
• General Mealtime/Toileting/Playground support as required

Coordinating and delivering key responsibilities of occupational therapy outside of classrooms

• Attend Personalised Learning Plan (PLP) meetings, and Parent Support Group meetings (PSGs). Discuss strategies, and recommendations and establish a plan for follow-through or support.
• Monitor student progress through professional forums and classroom communication
• Attend Learning Diversity and Wellbeing Meetings
• Support the implementation of Behaviour Support Plans for individual students
• Liaise with school staff regarding pathways planning or high school transition for later-year students where appropriate.
• Liaise with Wellbeing, Learning Diversity Leader, School Leadership and Private Therapists where appropriate
• Funding applications for students where appropriate
• Liaise with private therapists where appropriate
• Participate in Kindergarten observations for incoming prep students
• Participate in Prep Transition Programs
• Assist with supervision of students with behaviour management difficulties where appropriate
• Maintain appropriate record-keeping in line with AHPRA policies

Develop professional knowledge in areas of occupational therapy within the school setting

• Membership with AHPRA
• Build instructional capacity of staff in identified occupational therapy target areas
• Model intervention
• Develop and maintain a personal timetable where appropriate
• Monitor student progress through professional forums and classroom communication
• Collaborate with teachers on student goals and report writing
• Collaborate on appropriate assessments
• Provide information and feedback for reports where appropriate