Occupational Therapist - Basic Grade

St. Joseph's Foundation is a voluntary organisation providing comprehensive services for adults with intellectual disabilities and children with complex needs. Founded in 1968 the Foundation has grown through continuously responding to the needs of people with disabilities and their families.

The Foundation provides services to children and adults. Adults services include; day services, residential, respite care, MDT and home support in the North Cork and South West Limerick region. We have day and residential services in various locations in the North Cork and South Limerick area; such as Charleville, Dromina, Newtownshandrum, Buttevant, Newmarket, Mitchelstown and Mallow, in Limerick; Ballylanders, Ballyagran, Bruree, Bruff Croom Dromcollogher, Granagh Kilmallock, and Liskennett.

St. Joseph's Foundation is also lead agency for the North West Cork (CDNT4) and the North East Cork (CDNT 5) Children's Disability Network Teams (CDNTs). These teams are based in Mallow, Charleville and Fermoy and provide services for children 018 years presenting with complex needs, under the National Progressing Disability Services (PDS) Programme.

Applications are invited for the following post :

BASIC GRADE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

35 Hours per week Basic Grade OT Children's Disability Network Team Permanent Post

Occupational Therapist is required, to provide services within the clinic, home and school settings, to children presenting with complex needs, as part of the lead agencies Children's Disability Network Team 4 (CDNT 4) based in Mallow.

Candidates must have a recognised, validated, Occupational Therapy qualification

Registered as an Occupational Therapist with CORU (Candidates pending registration may apply)

Experience (postgraduate or clinical placement) of working with and supporting people with complex needs; physical disability, intellectual disability and / or ASD is desirable but not essential

Informal enquiries : Elaine Carroll (Occupational Therapy Manager) at : ecarroll@sjf.ie

JOB DESCRIPTIONBasic Grade OT CDNT

JOB TITLE :                             Occupational Therapist - Basic Grade

REPORTS TO :                        Children's Disability Network Manager

LIASES WITH :                      Interdisciplinary Team, Families, Staff of St. Joseph's Foundation, Staff of other statutory and voluntary organisations including schools, preschools, primary and acute care

Closing Date for Applications : 8

th

October 2025

JOB SUMMARY

The Basic Grade Occupational Therapy post is a key appointment in the development of a comprehensive / effective service for service for children with complex needs (developmental or intellectual disability / ASD / complex physical difficulties). He / she will contribute to providing a quality service to enable children to realise their potential and do this by working as part of an Interdisciplinary Team in a Family Centred Practice Model.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES :

PROFESSIONAL / CLINICAL

Attend and work the days and hours at the centre(s) to which s / he is assigned and at other such centre(s) as Line Management / CEO may direct from time to time subject to review

Report to your line manager as requested

Demonstrate professional conduct and behaviours by adhering to legal, ethical and professional practice standards in all aspects of practice as stipulated by CORU

Be responsible for the maintenance of relevant standards for own practice

Be responsible for managing and prioritising within own caseload and as part of the team

Be responsible for the assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation and monitoring of treatment programmes for service users according to service standards and in conjunction with families / carers, relevant staff and generic services

Be responsible for the daytoday provision of service within your allocated service area(s)

Promote positive staff morale and team working in conjunction with the line management system

Foster and maintain professional working relationships with colleagues, front line managers, and other health and education personnel.

Ensure the quality of documentation of all assessments, treatment plans, progress notes, reports and discharge summaries are in accordance with local service and professional policies procedures guidelines and standards

Communicate verbally and / or in writing results of assessments, treatment / intervention programmes and recommendations to the team and relevant others in accordance with service policy, procedure and guidelines

Participate in teams as appropriate, communicating and working in an integrated model including the service users and their families / carers, and other relevant staff

Attend clinics, review meetings, team meetings, case conferences, etc. as designated through the line management system

Participate in Individual Family Service Plans (IFSPs), team assessment and interventions to the allocated caseload

Plan interventions based on assessment

Provide universal and targeted interventions as part of an interdisciplinary team

Provide direct OT intervention on an individual, group and consultative basis

Provide reports on outcomes

Maintain files on service users in accordance with the record keeping policy

Organise visits to home, school, work etc. as appropriate to determine the service user's needs and to plan intervention, in line with the policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines of the service

Monitor and review the service user's changing needs on an ongoing basis

Adhere to existing and future policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines for the development and maintenance of standards / strategies for quality improvement and outcome measurement

Seek advice and assistance with any assigned duties or issues that are beyond the scope of professional competence, in line with principles of evidence based practice and clinical governance

Ensure that professional standards are maintained in relation to confidentiality, ethics and legislation

Operate within the scope of Occupational Therapy practice as set out by CORU including policy documents and competencies, and in accordance with the relevant policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines of the St. Joseph's Foundation and the policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines of the reconfigured Children's Disability Network Teams

Actively engage in performance management systems within the relevant service

Carry out other duties as assigned through the line management system

Promote good team working, and a culture that values diversity

To contribute and support families in the development of programmes and plans for the service user and family, e.g. IFSPs

To keep and provide statistical and other information as may be requested from time to time, in a timely fashion.

To be fully aware of and compliant with current child protection and safeguarding legislation and local policies and procedures.

To behave in a professional manner, showing respect for clients and their families.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Identify, in consultation with line management and clinical supervision, own training needs and undertake training for the purpose of continued professional development

Conduct research & development in the field as agreed with the Head of Discipline for OT & CDNM.

Participate in the development and organisation of relevant training and teaching programmes for families, staff and others as required as agreed through the line management system.

Avail of and participate in supervision as agreed with the OT Head of Discipline and CDNM.

Understands and recognises limits of own competencies and recognises the need to consult with supervisor in a timely and appropriate manner.

HEALTH & SAFETY

1.     Promote a safe working environment in accordance with Health and Safety legislation and, in particular, to comply with employees' obligations as set out in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 as well as any related policies and procedures within St. Joseph's Foundation as well as those as part of any reconfiguration of services and the Children's Disability Network Team.

2.     Be aware of and implement agreed policies, procedures and safe professional practice by adhering to relevant legislation, regulations and standards

3.   Actively participate in risk management issues, identify risk issues to their line manager, and participate in the management of risk including the implementation of controls.

4.     Report any adverse incidents in accordance with organisational guidelines

5.     Be aware of and become familiar with fire drill procedures i.e. fire detection, evacuation and firefighting.

GENERAL

As the above is not an exhaustive list of the duties and responsibilities, this job description may be revised from time to time to take account of any change in requirements of the position or any other duties as may be assigned by the Chief Executive.

CONFIDENTIALITY

In the course of your employment, you may have access to or hear information concerning the medical or personal affairs of service users or staff or other centres / organisations business. Such records and information are strictly confidential. In addition, records must never be left in such a manner that unauthorised persons can obtain access to them. On the termination of employment but before departing from the service, staff members are required to return to the Foundation, via their line manager ,all books, reports, memoranda, correspondence, papers, records, reports, files including data held on electronic files and any other documentation, and all other property, including keys, belonging to the Foundation or relating to its business or affairs which are in the possession of a staff member or under his / her control when the employment is terminated.

Section 39 Occupational Therapist Basic Grade