Therapy Assistant

**Position details**
**Position title**:Therapy Assistant

**Reports to**:Team Manager, Early Childhood Intervention

**Location**:Children’s Centre, 583 Ferntree Gully Road, Glen Waverley

**Program**:Early Childhood Intervention

**Employment Status **Casual

bestchance Child Family Care is an independent, not-for-profit, community organisation with offices

in Glen Waverley, Bayswater and Pakenham, Victoria, Australia.

bestchance adopts an innovative and holistic approach to assisting young children and families by

integrating a range of specialist family oriented educational and welfare community services. The

range of programs delivered include Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Family Day Care,

Kindergarten, Child Care; Children’s Therapy, Parent and Child Support, Training, Community Support

and Cheshire, an independent, specialist primary school for children with social, emotional and

learning difficulties.

These programs recognise that the early years of a child's life are the most formative and influential

and we strive to adhere to the principles of 'best practice'. This commitment ensures that families are,

at all times, respected as the experts on their children and supported in an environment that is

strength based and family centred.

bestchance is committed to implementing and adhering to the Child Safe standards including the

development and implementation of people practices that reduce the chance of child abuse within

the organisation, for which we advocate zero tolerance. Health safety and wellbeing first, is an

expectation of all, where staff implement local work instruction and processes aligned to organisation

requirements and are accountable for their own safety and safety of others.

To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team of Allied Health Professionals and support staff, integrating

the developmental and therapy needs of children aged 0-10 years with developmental delays or

disabilities. In particular:
provide capacity building therapeutic supports to children in their natural environments, as guided

by the child’s Key Worker and documented in a Therapy Assistant Planunder the direction of Therapists, implement and provide feedback on high quality children’s

programs, developed in accordance with the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development

Frameworkprovide regular feedback to Therapists working directly with the child, to monitor child’s progress

in natural environmentswork as a team member to provide a safe and stimulating environment for children’s development

ensuring compliance with agency philosophy, policies and procedures.

**(a) Legislative, Accreditation and Organisation Requirements
- **

Maintain knowledge and understanding of, and at all times act in accordance with:
bestchance Child Family Care Policy and Procedures, in particular Behaviour Guidance Policy,

Child Abuse Prevention Policy and Privacy Policy

Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic)

Occupational Health and Safety Regulations 2007 (Vic)

**(b) Children’s Developmental Programs
- **

Provide capacity-building community based supports for children and families, as guided by the

child’s Key Worker and as documented in a Therapy Assistant Plan.Implementation of high quality programs based on the strengths and interests of children and their

families.Assist Therapists and Key Workers in centre-based individual
- and group
- therapeutic supports.Monitor the progress and effectiveness of service delivery, and identify high priority issues and

risks. Liaise with relevant Key Workers and Therapists to review programs where relevant.Maintain up-to-date and accurate records relating to implementation of individual child and group

programs.

**(c) Relationships with Families
- **

Using a Family Centred approach, acknowledge families as the primary agents of their child’s

development and the pivotal role of families in children’s lives.Ensure a welcoming environment where all families are encouraged to participate in and

contribute to their child’s learning and development experience.Relate sensitively, approaching each child & family with equity regardless of differences in ability,

ethnic or family culture, and religious or political background.Ensure all interactions with children and families reflect the centre’s philosophy and policies.Provide high quality customer service to children and families.Respect the confidentiality of information relating to parents and children.

**(d) Teamwork
- **

Work with colleagues within the Early Childhood Intervention team in a spirit of co-operation to

maintain and continuously improve the standard of the service at bestchance Child Family Care.Contribute to an atmosphere of trust and professional respect through an attitude of openness,

tolerance, constructive conflict resolution processes and maintenance of confidentiality.Attend training, meetings and any professional training sessions identifi