Occupational Therapist

Aboriginal Health | Forensic & Mental Health Location: Perth or Broome, WA

Outreach travel: Optional

About Robust Futures Allied Health

Strong Futures Allied Health is an Aboriginal-owned allied health organisation providing culturally safe, person-centred services across metropolitan, regional and remote Western Australia. Our work is different from a traditional community allied health caseload. We work alongside Aboriginal people, families and communities, as well as people experiencing complex psychosocial disability, involvement with the justice system, cognitive disability and barriers to accessing mainstream services.

Our Occupational Therapists work across community, home, custodial and outreach settings, with a strong focus on building practical skills, independence, participation and meaningful engagement in everyday life.

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist who is interested in developing their practice across Aboriginal health, forensic disability and mental health.

The role can be based in Perth or Broome, with opportunities for Kimberley and regional outreach for clinicians who are interested in travelling. Outreach is optional and can be discussed according to your interests and circumstances.

The Role

As an Occupational Therapist with Strong Futures, you will work with a varied adult and adolescent caseload and have the opportunity to provide assessment, intervention and capacity-building supports. Depending on your interests and experience, your caseload may include people:

- Living with psychosocial disability, intellectual disability, FASD, acquired brain injury or cognitive impairment
- Involved with the criminal justice system or transitioning from custody back into the community
- Living in metropolitan, regional or remote Aboriginal communities
- Requiring support with daily living skills, executive functioning, sensory regulation and community participation
- Preparing for more independent living or Supported Independent Living
- Experiencing complex social, environmental and systemic barriers
- Requiring Functional Capacity Assessments and other occupational therapy assessments

This is an opportunity to practice OT in a way that looks beyond diagnosis and considers the person's culture, family, community, environment, strengths and Social and Emotional Wellbeing.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Practice

- Complete comprehensive Occupational Therapy assessments, including Functional Capacity Assessments where appropriate
- Assess activities of daily living, executive functioning, cognition, sensory processing, emotional regulation, community participation and functional performance
- Develop practical, individualised intervention plans based on participant goals and priorities
- Provide ongoing Occupational Therapy intervention in home, community and other relevant environments
- Support participants to develop independence with daily living, routines, budgeting, appointments, community access, relationships, education, employment and other meaningful occupations
- Provide recommendations regarding assistive technology, environmental modifications and support needs where appropriate
- Work collaboratively with Therapy Assistants to implement therapy programs
- Prepare high-quality reports, progress reports and clinical documentation

Aboriginal Health & Culturally Safe Practice

- Provide culturally safe,



respectful and strengths-based Occupational Therapy
- Recognise the importance of family, kinship, community, Country, culture and identity within assessment and intervention
- Adapt traditional Occupational Therapy assessment approaches when required to ensure they are accessible and culturally appropriate
- Work collaboratively with Aboriginal organisations, community-controlled health services and local stakeholders
- Take the time required to build relationships and trust before expecting formal therapeutic engagement
- Participate in ongoing cultural learning and reflective practice
- Contribute to a workplace culture that promotes cultural safety, inclusion and psychological safety

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are strongly encouraged to apply.

Forensic & Justice Practice

Depending on your interests, opportunities may include working with people who are:
- Currently in custody
- Transitioning from prison or youth detention into the community
- Subject to justice, guardianship or other statutory systems
- At risk of contact with the justice system because of disability, communication or cognitive needs

The OT may contribute to:
- Functional and cognitive assessment
- NDIS access and evidence gathering
- Transition planning
- Community living assessments
- Risk-informed support planning
- Daily living and executive functioning intervention
- Development of practical strategies for people with complex cognitive and psychosocial needs

Our approach is therapeutic and disability-focused rather than punitive. We aim to understand what is contributing to a person's functional difficulties and what supports may improve their ability to participate safely and successfully within their community.

Mental Health & Psychosocial Disability

The role includes opportunities to work with people experiencing complex mental health and psychosocial disability.

Intervention may address

- Establishing routines and meaningful daily activity
- Emotional and sensory regulation
- Executive functioning
- Motivation and initiation
- Community participation
- Independent living skills
- Social participation
- Environmental barriers
- Building confidence and self-efficacy
- Transitioning between services, accommodation or custody and community settings

We value clinicians who can build genuine therapeutic relationships with people who may previously have disengaged from services.

Outreach Opportunities

For clinicians interested in remote practice, there are opportunities to participate in outreach across the Kimberley and other regional areas of Western Australia. Outreach may include work in locations such as Broome, Derby, Fitzroy Crossing and surrounding communities.

Outreach provides the opportunity to:

- Work directly with participants in their own communities
- Develop experience in remote and Aboriginal health
- Work collaboratively with local services and community organisations
- Undertake assessments that reflect the person's actual home and community environment




- Build long-term relationships with communities rather than providing one-off fly-in/fly-out services

Outreach travel is optional and is not a requirement of the position.

About You

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist who is:

- Respectful, curious and relationship-focused
- Comfortable working with people whose lives may be complex
- Interested in Aboriginal health, mental health, forensic disability or remote practice
- Able to work flexibly rather than relying solely on traditional clinic-based models
- Comfortable working independently while being part of a supportive multidisciplinary team
- Able to communicate effectively with participants, families, support coordinators, support workers and other professionals
- Reflective and open to learning
- Committed to culturally safe and trauma-aware practice
- Able to maintain strong professional boundaries while developing genuine therapeutic relationships

You do not need to already be an expert in forensic or Aboriginal health practice. Clinicians who have a genuine interest in developing these skills are encouraged to apply.

Essential Requirements

- Bachelor or Master's degree in Occupational Therapy
- Current registration with AHPRA
- Current National Police Clearance or ability to obtain one
- NDIS Worker Screening Check or ability to obtain one
- Working with Children Check where required
- Current driver's licence
- Australian working rights

Desirable Experience

Experience in any of the following areas would be highly regarded:
- Aboriginal health
- Mental health or psychosocial disability
- Forensic disability or justice
- FASD
- Intellectual disability
- Acquired brain injury
- Cognitive assessment
- Functional Capacity Assessments
- Remote or regional practice
- NDIS
- Supported Independent Living
- Complex community disability

Why Join Strong Futures?

This role suits an OT who wants their work to have depth and variety. You will have opportunities to:
- Develop specialist skills in Aboriginal health, forensic disability and mental health
- Work with participants who are often underserved by mainstream systems
- Build expertise in complex Functional Capacity Assessment
- Work across community, justice and remote settings
- Participate in optional Kimberley outreach
- Work alongside Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Therapy Assistants and other allied health professionals
- Receive clinical support and opportunities for professional development
- Contribute ideas and help shape services as the organisation continues to grow
- Work within an organisation committed to culturally safe and inclusive practice

Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to do Occupational Therapy that is practical, relationship-based and grounded in the realities of people's everyday lives.

Location

The position can be based from either: Perth – Welshpool office or

Broome – Kimberley based

Flexible arrangements can be discussed depending on the successful applicant.

Interested?

We would love to hear from Occupational Therapists who are looking for something different and who are interested in Aboriginal health, mental health, forensic practice or remote service delivery. Please send through your CV and a short introduction outlining what interests you about the role.

[email protected]

(phone hidden)

strongfutures.com.au

📌 Occupational Therapist (Perth)
🏢 Strong Futures
📍 Perth