Occupational Therapist

This is an exciting time to join our recently established Birth to Settled Adulthood Service, supporting disabled children, young people and their families from birth through to adulthood.
Between the branches of social care, early help, short breaks, young carers, and paediatric occupational therapy, the service brings together a range of teams to provide the right support at the right time.

You will join a committed, friendly and highly skilled team who are passionate about improving the lives of disabled children and young people across Dorset. The service values collaboration, creativity and flexibility as it continues to evolve, and you will be supported to contribute your own experience and ideas.
Regular supervision, team and service‑wide meetings, and a wide range of training and development opportunities are available. Flexible working is considered wherever possible.

In this role you will manage a varied caseload, completing assessments and supporting the provision of specialist equipment and minor and major adaptations tailored to individual needs. You will work closely with colleagues in children’s social care and adult services to support smooth and timely transitions into adulthood. The role involves close partnership working with health, education, housing, the Dorset Accessible Homes Service and the Integrated Equipment Service, as well as external professionals such as builders, architects, surveyors and equipment providers.

The Occupational Therapy team operates from two local offices. Dorchester Local Office covers West and North Dorset, and Westport House in Wareham covers the east of the county.

• you will be a qualified and experienced Paediatric Occupational Therapist with strong knowledge of moving and handling, adaptation work and specialist paediatric equipment
• you hold a BSc in Occupational Therapy (or equivalent) and are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council
• you have a good understanding of disability and its impact on children, parents and families, alongside knowledge of child development and family dynamics
• you demonstrate knowledge of children’s safeguarding procedures, relevant childcare legislation and current practice
• experience working with disabled children and families, and the ability to communicate clearly and confidently in spoken English, is essential

You will receive regular, effective supervision and appropriate training to support you in the role and meet your ongoing professional development requirements.

For an informal discussion, please contact Karen Long, Team Manager Occupational Therapist, on or by email at [email protected]
This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check. See our policies on the employment of ex‑offenders, safeguarding children and young people, and adult safeguarding.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role. We will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated our values as part of the selection process.
Applicants who share our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity are encouraged to apply.