Overview
Work Type: Fixed-term - Part-time
Salary: Salary not specified
Grade: Education Support - Level 1, Range 4
Occupation: Health and allied health
Location: Melbourne - Southern suburbs
Reference:
Selection Criteria
Please respond to the Key Selection Criteria ¿ no more than 3 pages
KSC1: List and explain some intervention programs that may be suitable to target student goals within a school environment.
KSC2: Ability to build rapport with a wide range of people and work effectively in a multidisciplinary team and independently to ensure best student outcomes.
KSC3: Demonstrated excellent verbal (including working with families and external providers) and written communication skills (including funding applications and reports).
KSC4: Yarrabah School is a very dynamic working environment with many teams (including the Integrated Services Team, teaching team and support staff) - Demonstrate your strengths in interpersonal skills and how you can use your professional clinical reasoning and problem solving skills to work with complex students with a wide range of disabilities (including but not limited to; Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Genetic and Chromosomal differences such as Down Syndrome, and Rett Syndrome between ages of 2.8 years and 18 years).
Role
Yarrabah¿s Service Team works collaboratively with other therapists and services to provide interventions and support to students, staff, families and sections.
The Occupational Therapists are lead by assessments, referrals and observations and use a variety of goal directed and therapeutic programs such as; the Alert Program, Life Skills, Handwriting Without Tears, and to support students to access all areas of the school curriculum.
The Service Team currently consists of:
* Occupational Therapists (3.2 EFT)
* Speech Pathologists (3 EFT)
* Physiotherapists (0.8 EFT)
* Well-being / Social Workers / Mental Health Care Practitioner (1.8 EFT)
* Behaviour Support Practitioner (0.6 EFT)
* NDIS navigator & pathways coordinator (0.6)
* Engagement support
* School Nurse (0.9 EFT)
The therapists work within the Multidisciplinary Services Team to provide a holistic and integrated service within the special developmental school setting with education staff including teachers and education support staff.
Expectations of the role
Work directly with students
* To support engagement of students in the school curriculum which is led by the teaching staff. To provide assessment, resources, equipment and strategies to engage the student within the school environment.
* Assessments generally consist of clinical observations, GANTT charts / Task Analysis, teacher and parent interviews, as formal assessments as required (e.g. Sensory Profile, Beery VMI).
* Work with teachers to set goals and plan programs to best meet the needs of the students within a classroom and school environment. Contribute toward the writing of Individualised Education Plans (IEPs) as required. Updating Student Profiles and Behaviour Support Plans.
* Attend Student Support Group meetings (SSGs) across the year as requested.
* Work with parents / carers of students to assist with the transfer of skills and student development from the school to home environment as appropriate.
* Liaise with external supports working with our students, as required e.g. NDIS therapists and future pathways placements.
School funding support
* Support the Disability Inclusion Profiles (DIPs) process through assessment, clinical observation and writing of the Record of Specialist Involvement for the DIP¿s.
* Apply for grants and provide supportive documentation for new programs (e.g. 2024 Mini Woolies).
Non-Clinical roles
* To work as a clinical educator and supervisor for Occupational Therapy students and / or volunteers as required. To work as a Clinical Supervisor for junior Occupational Therapists (pending experience and expertise).
* To continually demonstrate evidence-based practice and participate in professional development education.
* Engage within school committees to provide expert advice and guidance.
* Services are actively involved across the whole school in intervention and achieving the outcomes of the schools strategic and annual implementation plans.
Responsibilities
Occupational Therapy at Yarrabah School aims to promote students¿ level of independence in their activities of daily living. This includes assessment, intervention, and goal setting in the areas of;
* Personal activities of daily living; grooming, toileting, eating, dressing
* Domestic activities of daily living; food preparation, cleaning tasks, following daily routines, social safety
* Community activities of daily living; travel education, work skills, pathways, cafe program, mini woolies program.
* School skills; fine motor skills such as handwriting, focusing & directing attention, regulation, sensory processing support, play skills, social skills
The Occupational Therapist aims to support overcoming occupational barriers for children to fulfil their role as a student at Yarrabah School and access the school curriculum. The Occupational Therapy team works closely with staff to upskill, build capacity and model programs to support the student's engagement.
Most therapy interventions are provided under a collaborative model, where close relationships are formed with all staff which allows the sharing of knowledge and training of techniques to be provided on a daily basis. It ensures that everybody working with a student is using the same techniques to achieve the goals set. It takes into account everything that happens around a student and recognises the varied contact of adults across their day.
Who May Apply
Applicants must have the following:
* Bachelor or Masters degree in Occupational Therapy
* Must have current AHPRA registration or due to be registered with AHPRA in early 2026
* Must have a current (or be eligible to apply for) Employee Working with Children Check
* Occupational Therapy experience within Paediatrics preferred.
EEO AND OHS Commitment
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.
The Department of Education is committed to the principles of equal opportunity, and diversity and inclusion for all. We value diversity and inclusion in all forms - gender, religion, ethnicity, LGBTIQ+, 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 family friendly, supportive, safe and harassment free workplaces is essential to high performance and promotes flexible work, diversity and safety across all schools and Department workplaces. It is our policy to provide reasonable adjustments for persons with a disability (see Workplace adjustment guidelines).
Additional support and advice on the recruitment process is available to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islanders from the Koorie Outcomes Division (KOD) via
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:
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:
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
Conditions of Employment
This vacancy is to replace an employee on parental absence and is for a period of seven years or until the employee absent on leave returns to duty at the school.
Location Profile
Yarrabah School is a special developmental school for children with moderate to severe disabilities. Yarrabah is located in the bayside suburb of Aspendale. Yarrabah School caters for students from 2:8 to 18 years of age. Yarrabah School believes that all students can learn and experience success. A comprehensive and integrated curriculum is offered with the flexibility to meet the needs of each student.
School Purpose
Our purpose is to provide a nurturing, educational environment that maximises each students potential. To maximise student potential by providing an individualised and safe learning environment that promotes active learning, encouraged adventure, independence and self-esteem.
To provide all students access to curriculum and therapeutic support in preparation for life as a valued member of the community.
Our values
These are behaviours we expect to be displayed for each of our school values by staff, parents and students. Our school should be a place where all members of the community have the right to feel safe, valued and secure. Our school values are tolerance, respect, integrity and care & support.
As a result of our schools¿ values, our staff are motivated, dedicated and constantly involved in developing their own professional knowledge and skills. They are extremely caring towards the students and there is a very close working relationship between staff, students and parents. This promotes stability and harmony within the school and consequently the students are well behaved and co-operative.
Therapy purpose statement
We aim to foster independent living skills and access to the curriculum for students to achieve best outcomes. We will share our knowledge and skills to empower and support staff and families to work with the child and prepare them for life beyond their school
Applications close Thursday 18 September 2025 at 11.59pm
Posted
8 September 2025