Occupational Therapist - Western Plains CC

About this role

• Provide a holistic range of therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation based on the individualised needs of people in our care with disability and complex needs
• Ongoing, Full-Time Opportunity to work with a high-performing and passionate team in the Victorian Public Service
• Allied Health Grade 3: $97,955 - $111,142 plus superannuation

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is seeking an Occupational Therapist to provide a critical role at Western Plains Correctional Centre.

About the Business Unit

Corrections Victoria is part of the Department of Justice and Community Safety and is responsible for the operation of Victoria's adult corrections system, public and privately operated prisons, and a transitional centre. It ensures that people held in prison are safely and securely contained and aims to rehabilitate people by addressing the underlying causes of offending behaviour.

Western Plains Correctional Centre (Western Plains) is a modern, maximum-security prison focussed on rehabilitation, housing up to 1248 people in custody. Western Plains features multi-purpose infrastructure which is adaptable to the evolving needs of Corrections Victoria and the people in our care. Modern amenities include medical wards, a cultural centre, and vocational training facilities.

Western Plains provides a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to individualised care which motivates, encourages and promotes reintegration into the community. Western Plains has advanced technology which improves security, streamlines operations and enhances connections for the people in our care.

Western Plains operates with three primary service teams: Workforce and Prison Services, Communities, and Safety and Operational Service which collaboratively deliver comprehensive services for people in our care, safety management, and corporate services. Through its innovative design and service model, Western Plains aims to create a thriving environment conducive to safety and positive behavioural change.

About the Role

The Occupational Therapist is part of a small clinical multidisciplinary team responsible for providing a holistic range of therapeutic treatment and rehabilitation based on the needs of people in our care with disabilities and complex needs. This may include specialised occupational assessments, individualised occupational therapy plans and treatment to increase functional capacity, including but not limited to, emotion regulation skills, living skills and social skills. In addition, they will be responsible for developing and maintaining a culture where staff and people in our care are motivated to create and maintain a therapeutic environment and identifying ways to promote participation and engagement from people in our care in both formal and informal processes and activities.

The Occupational Therapist will work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team that includes Occupational Therapists, Disability and Complex Needs Practitioners, Disability Support Workers, Personal Care Attendants, Forensic Clinicians, Custodial staff and external stakeholders including National Disability Insurance Scheme and Department of Families, Fairness and Housing.

This position is based at Western Plains Correctional Centre in Lara and requires the incumbent to regularly attend their usual place of work. Some travel to Melbourne or other regional locations may be required for meetings.

Some of your duties will include:

• Autonomously plan, implement, document, and evaluate occupational therapy assessment and treatment with people in our care that have disabilities or complex needs.
• In consultation with the Clinical Team Leader, contribute to advanced therapeutic treatment and intervention pathways for people in our care that have disabilities or complex needs that may require cross-profession or agency collaboration.
• Work collaboratively and impartially with people in our care to identify occupational therapy treatment priorities and actively develop and contribute to the delivery of therapeutic interventions across Western Plains.
• Support the Clinical Team Leader in the development and maintenance of an integrated, multi disciplinary team approach and culture, including fostering strong, collaborative relationships between case managers, clinical staff and relevant senior management across Western Plains and Corrections Victoria to strengthen a therapeutic culture and environment.
• Make clinically informed decisions that assist people in our care to upskill and prepare for transition, including the facilitation of individualised occupational therapy plans and interventions to enhance the independence of people in our care in everyday activities and active promotion and implementation of strategies for emotional management, coping and interpersonal skills.

To learn more about this role before applying, please read the attached position description.

About you

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• Experience in the provision of discipline-specific advanced therapeutic intervention across vulnerable cohorts with disability and complex needs.
• A strong understanding of the Disability Act 2006, the Mental Health Act and the National Disability Insurance Scheme, including modern trends in service provisions to people with a disability and/or mental health condition.
• Sound conceptual understanding of the theories of occupational performance and a commitment to understanding and improving complex resident functioning through assessment and interventions using recognised occupational therapy models of intervention.
• Knowledge and commitment to the application of best practice principles of occupational therapy in forensic settings, including a trauma-informed approach and understanding of the OT Australia – Australian Association of Occupational Therapists Code of Ethics and a commitment to working in a manner consistent with the code.
• Knowledge of forensic settings and/or principles of therapeutic environments is desirable.

Qualifications/requirements

• Approved degree in Occupational Therapy recognised for membership of ‘OT Australia – Australian Association of Occupational Therapists' and registered as an Occupational Therapist with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• Specialist training and/or postgraduate qualifications in a clinical or forensic field is desirable.

How to Apply

Please click the Apply button on this advertisement. Applications should include a resume and covering letter. Attachments can be uploaded in .doc, .docx, .pdf, .txt or .rtf formats.

The successful candidate will be required to undergo pre-employment checks which may include a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check (NCCHC) and misconduct screening.

If you require adjustments to the recruitment and selection process, or require an alternative format to any of the application material, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the contact person listed on this ad.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

CHILD SAFE STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:

The Department of Justice and Community Safety is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We seek to prevent harm of any kind impacting children and young people and have zero tolerance for racism, child abuse and inequality. Children and young people's rights, relationships, identity, and culture must be recognised and respected, their voices heard, and their concerns acted upon. We aim to foster a culturally safe, child safe and child friendly environment for all children and young people we have contact with, deliver services to, or are impacted by our work.