Occupational Therapist within our Preparation for Adulthood team

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of young people with disabilities? We are looking for an enthusiastic and forward-thinking Occupational Therapist (OT) to join our Preparation for Adulthood team, part of adult social care.

About the role

You will work closely with young people with a range of physical, sensory, and developmental needs as they approach 18 and into early adulthood, to help them achieve greater independence and improve their quality of life.

You will assist in ‘right-sizing’ care and develop interventions which maximise a person’s skills and independence, ensuring any support is proportionate, least restrictive, enabling and proactive and builds on the person’s developing strengths.

Key responsibilities

Providing assessment of a young person’s current and potential independence skills to help advise and support team colleagues with how best to support that person.
Recommending appropriate assistive technology which promotes independence and builds on a person’s own resources, skills and abilities.
Providing advice and guidance to care providers to help empower the young person, and ensure any support is least restrictive and promotes positive risk-taking.
Advise on sensory integration principles and positive behaviour strategies to ensure environments and approaches enable the person to retain choice and control over their life and minimises sensory distress.
Support the service with external project work, e.g. advice around a range of innovative living schemes.
Signposting to appropriate services and other sources of OT support when required.
Drawing up therapeutic plans to be delivered by family, care teams and/or personal assistants who support young people with disabilities.

You will have…

A degree in Occupational Therapy and HCPC registration.
Experience working with young people with disabilities, ideally in a social care or educational setting.
Awareness of Sensory Integration Therapy and environmental modifications.
Understanding of different moving and handling techniques, equipment, adaptations and technology to promote independence (training and support will be provided).
Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Commitment to promoting inclusion and positive outcomes for young people with disabilities.

About us

The Preparation for Adulthood team (part of adult social care) work with young people aged 16 – 25 to help them move from children’s social care or education services into adulthood, which may include adult social care.

The team is supported by two team managers who provide regular supervision and guidance to team members.

Sheffield City Council employs a Principal Occupational Therapist and Practice Development Officer for Occupational Therapy who will provide specialist practice support.

We work with young people across Sheffield and occasionally out of city.

We offer a hybrid model of working and support a flexible and positive work-life balance.

For an informal discussion, please contact Jonathan Mercer (Team Manager) on 07823 977941 or Jonathan.Mercer@sheffield.gov.uk.

We are investing in our workforce and are promoting opportunities to our under-represented groups. We value equality, diversity and inclusion and are focused on increasing the diversity of our workforce, particularly the number of Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, Disabled and LGBTQ+ people, so that our teams reflect the communities in the city we serve. We are also supporting staff with unpaid caring responsibilities to work flexibly.

It is a great time to join us and we welcome your application.

Under the Guaranteed Interview scheme, applicants who are disabled, care leavers, or armed forces veterans will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria and indicate their eligibility on the application form.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals, ensuring a safe and supportive environment for everyone and where appropriate to the role the successful applicant will be required to undertake relevant safeguarding checks.

Full-time employees work 37 hours for 52 weeks of the year and we offer a generous holiday entitlement. We are open to discussions about a wide range of flexible working opportunities which benefit you and the Council, including reduced hour contracts, working part time or as a job share.

If you are appointed to this role, your starting salary will be at the bottom of the grade. If you provide payslip evidence that your basic pay is greater than the bottom of the grade, we will consider starting you at the point of minimum advantage within the grade.

Equality of pay is extremely important to us. All roles at Sheffield City Council are going through an evaluation process which may result in changes to some pay arrangements from 2026. Find out more on our New job evaluation process to be introduced at Sheffield City Council | Sheffield City Council