Paediatric Occupational Therapist ¿ Functional Capacity & Curriculum Access

Ballarat Specialist School provides high¿quality education for students aged 3 to 18 years with diagnosed intellectual disabilities ranging from mild to profound. We are a dual¿campus K¿12 setting structured around four stages of learning: Early Learning (3¿5 years), Primary School (5¿12 years), Middle School (12¿15 years) and Senior School (15¿18 years).

Our Early Learning to Middle School programs operate from our Gillies Street Campus, while our Senior School is located at our 8.09¿hectare FARM Campus in Norman Street. We currently support approximately 440 students across both sites.

Our Mission and Approach

Our mission, ¿Achieving Personal Success Together,¿ guides everything we do. We are committed to creating a safe, flexible and stimulating learning environment where both students and staff can reach their full potential. Our curriculum is personalised, balanced and designed to celebrate individual achievement.

Teaching and learning at Ballarat Specialist School is grounded in the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, the Victorian Pathways Certificate, a strong focus on Literacy and Numeracy, and Individual Education Plans for every student. Our pedagogy is evidence¿based and supported by a gradual release of responsibility model. Professional Learning Communities drive curriculum, assessment, inquiry and reflection across the school.

Small Class Sizes and Classroom Support

A key strength of our school is our commitment to small class sizes, ensuring students receive targeted, responsive and meaningful instruction. Each classroom is supported by Education Support (ES) staff allocated according to student need, enabling a high level of individualised attention and consistent support throughout the school day.

This structure allows teachers and ES staff to work closely together to implement personalised learning goals, support communication and engagement, respond to sensory and wellbeing needs, and create safe, predictable and inclusive learning environments.

Integrated Services Team

Our comprehensive Integrated Services Team works across all areas of the school to support students in achieving their academic, functional and personalised goals. The team includes Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Allied Health Assistants, Mental Health Practitioners, NDIS¿funded practitioners (in collaboration with families) and Registered Nurses.

This multidisciplinary team partners with teachers, ES staff and families to embed therapeutic, communication, health and wellbeing supports into everyday learning. Their work strengthens student engagement, independence and readiness for future pathways.

Pathways and Real¿World Learning

Ballarat Specialist School is committed to preparing students for meaningful, fulfilling futures. Our pathways model provides students with authentic, hands¿on learning experiences that build independence, confidence and employability skills.

Key pathway opportunities include school¿based enterprises such as the Vintage Soul Op Shop and cafés at both campuses, Mini Woolies at Gillies Street, and accredited vocational pathways including Certificate I in Life Skills and Certificate II courses delivered onsite in partnership with local TAFE providers. Industry¿aligned learning areas include Kitchen Operations, Retail, Horticulture, Visual Arts, Sport and Recreation, Music Industry and Work Skills.

These programs support students to explore interests, develop practical skills and transition confidently into post¿school options including supported employment, open employment, community participation and further training.

Individualised Support

Every student has an Individual Education Plan developed through a collaborative Student Support Group involving parents and carers, external agencies, classroom teachers, education assistants and our Integrated Services Team. This ensures each student¿s learning, wellbeing and communication needs are understood and supported.

Location Profile

Ballarat Specialist School provides high¿quality education for students aged 3 to 18 years with diagnosed intellectual disabilities ranging from mild to profound. We are a dual¿campus K¿12 setting structured around four stages of learning: Early Learning (3¿5 years), Primary School (5¿12 years), Middle School (12¿15 years) and Senior School (15¿18 years).

Our Early Learning to Middle School programs operate from our Gillies Street Campus, while our Senior School is located at our 8.09¿hectare FARM Campus in Norman Street. We currently support approximately 440 students across both sites.

Our Mission and Approach

Our mission, ¿Achieving Personal Success Together,¿ guides everything we do. We are committed to creating a safe, flexible and stimulating learning environment where both students and staff can reach their full potential. Our curriculum is personalised, balanced and designed to celebrate individual achievement.

Teaching and learning at Ballarat Specialist School is grounded in the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, the Victorian Pathways Certificate, a strong focus on Literacy and Numeracy, and Individual Education Plans for every student. Our pedagogy is evidence¿based and supported by a gradual release of responsibility model. Professional Learning Communities drive curriculum, assessment, inquiry and reflection across the school.

Small Class Sizes and Classroom Support

A key strength of our school is our commitment to small class sizes, ensuring students receive targeted, responsive and meaningful instruction. Each classroom is supported by Education Support (ES) staff allocated according to student need, enabling a high level of individualised attention and consistent support throughout the school day.

This structure allows teachers and ES staff to work closely together to implement personalised learning goals, support communication and engagement, respond to sensory and wellbeing needs, and create safe, predictable and inclusive learning environments.

Integrated Services Team

Our comprehensive Integrated Services Team works across all areas of the school to support students in achieving their academic,



functional and personalised goals. The team includes Occupational Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Allied Health Assistants, Mental Health Practitioners, NDIS¿funded practitioners (in collaboration with families) and Registered Nurses.

This multidisciplinary team partners with teachers, ES staff and families to embed therapeutic, communication, health and wellbeing supports into everyday learning. Their work strengthens student engagement, independence and readiness for future pathways.

Pathways and Real¿World Learning

Ballarat Specialist School is committed to preparing students for meaningful, fulfilling futures. Our pathways model provides students with authentic, hands¿on learning experiences that build independence, confidence and employability skills.

Key pathway opportunities include school¿based enterprises such as the Vintage Soul Op Shop and cafés at both campuses, Mini Woolies at Gillies Street, and accredited vocational pathways including Certificate I in Life Skills and Certificate II courses delivered onsite in partnership with local TAFE providers. Industry¿aligned learning areas include Kitchen Operations, Retail, Horticulture, Visual Arts, Sport and Recreation, Music Industry and Work Skills.

These programs support students to explore interests, develop practical skills and transition confidently into post¿school options including supported employment, open employment, community participation and further training.

Individualised Support

Every student has an Individual Education Plan developed through a collaborative Student Support Group involving parents and carers, external agencies, classroom teachers, education assistants and our Integrated Services Team. This ensures each student¿s learning, wellbeing and communication needs are understood and supported.

Selection Criteria

- Paediatric Occupational Therapy and Functional Capacity Demonstrated knowledge, skills and experience in the provision of Occupational Therapy services to children and young people with disability, developmental differences and/or complex functional needs, with particular emphasis on assessing and developing the functional capacities required for participation, independence and access to education.
- Functional Assessment, Task Analysis and Curriculum Access Demonstrated ability to undertake functional assessment and task analysis to identify the physical, sensory, fine motor, cognitive, visual-perceptual, executive functioning and/or environmental factors impacting a student's ability to access and participate in learning. Demonstrated ability to use assessment findings to develop, implement and evaluate practical interventions within the student's everyday environment.
- Assistive Technology, Equipment and Task Modification Demonstrated knowledge and experience in the assessment, trial, prescription and implementation of assistive technology, specialised equipment, environmental modifications and/or task adaptations to improve student access, participation and independence. Demonstrated ability to balance the provision of appropriate adaptations with interventions that progressively develop a student's functional capacity and reduce unnecessary reliance on equipment or adult assistance where appropriate.
- Collaboration, Staff Capacity Building and Classroom Practice Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with students, families/carers, teachers, Education Support staff, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Speech Pathologists and other relevant professionals, including the ability to translate Occupational Therapy recommendations into practical classroom strategies and provide coaching, modelling and professional learning that builds staff capability.
- Initiative, Autonomy and Innovative Practice Demonstrated ability to work independently and proactively, manage a caseload and referral priorities, and use sound clinical reasoning to identify opportunities where Occupational Therapy can improve student participation and independence. Demonstrated capacity to initiate and develop individual interventions, small-group programs, classroom strategies, resources, staff training and/or broader initiatives in response to identified student and school needs.
- Evidence-Based Practice, Evaluation and Professional Communication Demonstrated commitment to evidence-based, outcome-focused and reflective Occupational Therapy practice, including the ability to establish meaningful functional goals, evaluate intervention outcomes and adapt practice accordingly. Demonstrated high-level written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills, commitment to ongoing professional development, and ability to seek and respond constructively to professional supervision and feedback.

Role

Ballarat Specialist School is seeking a motivated and innovative Paediatric Occupational Therapist to join our multidisciplinary Allied Health Team.

This position has a strong focus on functional capacity, curriculum access, task modification, assistive technology and equipment prescription.

Your role will be to identify what is preventing a student from successfully participating in learning and then work alongside the student and their classroom team to find a solution.

Sometimes that solution might be assistive technology or specialised equipment. Sometimes it will involve modifying the task, environment or teaching approach. At other times, the best intervention will be developing the student's underlying functional capacity so that, over time, they can participate with greater independence and fewer adaptations.

That balance between providing access today and building capacity for tomorrow sits at the heart of this role.

Responsibilities

- Completing functional and occupational assessments to understand barriers to participation.
- Assessing how a student's physical, sensory, cognitive, fine motor,



visual-perceptual and executive functioning skills impact curriculum access.
- Working directly within classrooms to analyse learning tasks and identify barriers to participation.
- Modifying classroom activities and learning tasks to improve accessibility.
- Recommending and prescribing assistive technology and specialised equipment.
- Supporting positioning, seating, access and functional participation within learning environments.
- Trialling equipment and strategies within the student's actual classroom environment.
- Developing individualised programs to build students' functional capacity and independence.
- Supporting fine motor, upper limb, handwriting, technology access, self-care and other functional skills where they impact participation at school.
- Delivering targeted 1:1 therapy and small-group interventions.
- Working alongside teachers and Education Support staff to embed therapeutic strategies within everyday learning.
- Providing staff training, coaching and modelling around equipment, adaptations and therapeutic strategies.
- Monitoring outcomes and progressively modifying or reducing supports as students develop greater independence.
- Collaborating closely with Physiotherapists, Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Exercise Physiologists, Allied Health Assistants, Teachers, Education Support staff and families.

Who May Apply

We are looking for an Occupational Therapist who is:

- Passionate about paediatrics, disability and functional participation.
- Skilled or interested in functional capacity assessment and intervention.
- Experienced or interested in assistive technology and equipment prescription.
- Able to analyse tasks and environments through an Occupational Therapy lens.
- Creative in adapting activities while preserving meaningful participation and learning.
- Passionate about developing independence and functional capacity.
- Confident working collaboratively with teachers and Education Support staff.
- Able to translate clinical recommendations into practical classroom strategies.
- Comfortable providing individual therapy, group interventions and classroom-based support.
- Highly organised and able to independently manage referrals and caseload priorities.
- Proactive and willing to identify opportunities for recent programs, interventions and staff training.

We are particularly interested in applicants who are self-driven and motivated to make the role their own.

The autonomy within school-based Allied Health practice means strong time management and initiative are essential.

We want someone who can manage their own caseload and referrals, but who also looks beyond their existing caseload and asks:

"Where else could Occupational Therapy make a difference?"

If you are an Occupational Therapist who enjoys problem solving, functional rehabilitation, assistive technology and helping children become more independent, this is an opportunity to apply those skills directly where kids spend much of their day.

Diversity and Inclusion

The department is committed to diversity and inclusion and developing a workforce that is representative of the community we service. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - culture, gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQA+, disability and neurodiversity. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for roles within the Department.The Department recognises that the provision of safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work and diversity across all schools and Department workplaces.It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for staff with disability (seeWorkplace adjustment guidelines).

Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander candidates from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via*******@education.vic.gov.au

Applicants seeking part-time employment are encouraged to apply for any teaching service position and, if they are the successful candidate, request a reduced time fraction. Such requests will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis and will be subject to the operational requirements of the school.

Child Safe Standards

Victorian government schools are child safe environments. Our schools actively promote the safety and wellbeing of all students, and all school staff are committed to protecting students from abuse or harm in the school environment, in accordance with their legal obligations including child safe standards. All schools have a Child Safety Code of Conduct consistent with the department's exemplar available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/child-safe-standards/policy

DE Values

The department's employees commit to upholding the department's Values: Responsiveness, Integrity, Impartiality, Accountability, Respect, Leadership and Human Rights. The department's Values complement each school's own values and underpin the behaviours the community expects of Victorian public sector employees,including those who work in Victorian Government Schools. Information on the department values is available at:

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/values-department-vps-school-employees/overview

Other Information

- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at http://www.education.vic.gov.au/hrweb/Pages/default.aspx

Conditions of Employment

- All staff employed by the Department and schools have access to a broad range of employment conditions and working arrangements.
- Appointment of successful applicants will be made subject to a satisfactory pre-employment conditions check.
- A probationary period may apply during the first year of employment and induction and support programs provided.
- Detailed information on all terms and conditions of employment is available on the Department's Human Resources website at https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal

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📌 Paediatric Occupational Therapist¿ Functional Capacity & Curriculum Access (Ballarat East)
🏢 Government schools
📍 Ballarat East