Occupational Therapy Support Officer; Childrens Housing

About us

We are a team working across Oxfordshire providing assessment and ongoing support with home adaptations for children and young people up to the age of 18. Our team consists of qualified Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Support Officers and we work in partnership with local agencies to help meet children and families housing needs.

Our service is looking for a second Support Officer to help provide the first point of call for all initial enquires into our service as well as support for our small group of Occupational Therapists.

The postholder would deal with initial enquires and offer advice to families and other referrers, signposting to other services and sending out advice sheets. They would complete initial telephone assessments and record information to allow understanding of needs of referred children and young people and their housing circumstances. This initial contact would guide our services next actions (for example OT assessment at home, minor works referrals, rehousing recommendations).

Additionally, the role would involve following up on existing works in progress, with families and external agencies such as the District and City Councils and Home Improvement Agencies. There could be some opportunity, once experience had been developed, for visiting families and young people in their own homes to review some of the simple works that have been competed or to follow up on issues reported and then liaising with the appropriate agencies to help get these rectified.

This is an opportunity for someone with skills in using basic IT packages and experience in dealing with complex issues on a day to day basis who would like to work enabling our service to better meet the needs of the residents of Oxfordshire. The post can involve complex conversation over the phone and requires an ability to deal with a lot of information whilst ensuring important details are recorded accurately.

We use IT to assist with this process.

Support and training will be provided on specific aspects of the job but the postholder will also have some opportunity to shape this role to ensure that it meets the varied needs of the service and the children, young people and families that we work with.

• Salary starting at £31,537
• Up to 31 days annual leave each year
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Competitive employer contribution pension scheme
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Excellent learning and development opportunities
• Work with a small, supportive team

Catherine Barker, catheri or Michael Roche (Tues and Weds), mich

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.