Occupational therapist, Sydney: what the role involves and what you need to apply

This is a mobile, community-based occupational therapy role across Sydney and New South Wales. You would see people where they actually live their lives, meaning homes, schools, early learning centres, day programs, workplaces and community settings, with telehealth used where it suits the person or the distance. The caseload is largely NDIS funded, spanning early childhood through to older adults, and the work runs from functional capacity assessment to assistive technology, home modifications, daily living skills and sensory support. To apply or ask about the role, contact Bloom through contact us, email hello@bloom-healthcare.com.au, or call 1300 771 465.

What the work actually involves

Functional capacity assessment. A large part of NDIS occupational therapy. You assess how a person's disability affects everyday activity across self-care, self-management, mobility, learning, communication and social participation, usually in the person's own environment rather than a clinic room. The report you produce becomes the evidence base for plan reassessment, plan changes and, where it comes to that, external review, so the writing matters as much as the assessment.

Assistive technology. Matching equipment to the person and their environment, from simple daily living aids through to more complex adaptive equipment. The work includes fit-for-purpose assessment, trials and training, and documenting functional impact and why the item is reasonable and necessary, so a funding request stands up.

Home modifications. Assessing the environment for barriers and risks and recommending changes, from grab rails, ramps and bathroom modifications through to access changes at steps and doorways and kitchen changes for reach and safety. Modifications range from minor to complex, and the NDIS requires evidence that they are reasonable and necessary, safe, legal and value for money. Complex home modification work is part of the practice here.

Daily living skills and routines. Personal care, showering, dressing, grooming and sleep routines; meal planning, kitchen safety and pacing; public transport and travel confidence; and the design of morning, afternoon and transition routines, including identifying pinch points and using visual supports, timers and environmental changes. Strategy design and environmental change carry as much weight as skill building.

Sensory and emotional regulation. Identifying triggers, building regulation strategies people can use in real moments rather than only in session, and adjusting environments to reduce overwhelm around noise, texture, crowding and transitions.

Driving assessments. A distinct service line, including work with adolescents and young adults, assessing physical, cognitive and behavioural factors relevant to safe driving and community mobility.

Reports and planning. Individualised intervention plans tied to plan goals, progress reports written in plain language for families and framed for reassessment, and evidence to support funding requests. Goals are tracked using structured methods including SMART goals and goal attainment scaling.

Working with other disciplines. Coordination with speech pathology, physiotherapy, psychology, exercise physiology, dietetics and positive behaviour support, plus supervision and delegation to allied health assistants where that applies.

Who you would work with

Caseloads can be mixed rather than narrowly streamed. Work with children focuses on fine and gross motor development, sensory processing, play and participation, and self-care routines that reduce pressure at home and school. Work with adolescents covers driving assessment, vocational skills, social participation and community navigation. Work with adults covers vocational readiness, community participation, transitions such as moving into independent living or entering work, mobility and transfers, strategies for chronic and degenerative conditions, and reducing manual handling strain for carers. Some work is with older people under aged care funding as well.

The mobile model and what a week looks like

Bloom's primary delivery model is in the community. Clinicians travel to people within a geographic cluster rather than working from a fixed clinic, with clinics available case by case where that suits. In practice that means:

• Sessions in homes, schools, day programs, workplaces and community venues, with telehealth used where it is clinically appropriate.
• Assessment in the real environment, which is a genuine clinical advantage when the question is how someone functions at home rather than in a consulting room.
• Travel built into scheduling and into how time is billed, so route planning is part of managing your week.
• Protected administrative time and streamlined documentation systems, because report writing is a real part of the job rather than something squeezed into evenings.
• Peer consultation across disciplines when a case sits at the edge of your experience.

If you have only worked in clinic or hospital settings, the change is real. You get autonomy over your day and you see the actual context people live in. You also spend time in the car, work alone for much of the day, and carry responsibility for planning your own week.

Where you would work

The New South Wales catchment includes Sydney, Parramatta, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Hornsby, the Northern Beaches, Newcastle, Wollongong and Tweed Heads. Which part of that you cover depends on where you are based and where demand sits, so ask about the specific catchment for the role when you get in touch. Current coverage across the country is at /locations/.

Bloom operates across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, so an interstate move later does not have to mean changing employer.

Supervision, development and support

Bloom runs a structured clinical governance and development model rather than leaving clinicians to work it out alone:

• Weekly clinical supervision for clinicians.
• Professional development sessions on Fridays, with people with lived experience taking part, so training stays connected to what participants actually need.
• E-learning modules, with a minimum of two a month.
• Evidence-based professional development modules delivered by clinical leads through the year, and research reviewed and circulated monthly by national clinical managers.
• Structured mentoring and continuing professional development, plus internal and external supervision options.
• Clinical specialisation pathways, and leadership or project-based roles for people who want to move beyond a pure caseload.
• Mixed adult and paediatric caseloads where you want the breadth.
• Wellbeing support, including a health and wellbeing platform with access to employee assistance sessions, and flexible working arrangements.

Current arrangements, including the specific package and working pattern for this role, are confirmed during the recruitment process. Ask about them directly rather than assuming what is written here covers every role.

What you need before you can start

Registration. Occupational therapy is a regulated profession under Australia's National Registration and Accreditation Scheme. You need current registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia through Ahpra. The Board sets registration standards covering criminal history, English language skills, recency of practice, continuing professional development and professional indemnity insurance, and publishes codes and guidelines that sit alongside them. Continuing professional development is a registration requirement, not an optional extra.

NDIS Worker Screening Check. Mandatory for anyone in a risk-assessed role at a registered NDIS provider. A risk-assessed role is one that directly delivers supports to people with disability, or that involves more than incidental contact, which includes physical contact, building rapport as an ordinary part of the job, or contact with multiple participants during service delivery. An occupational therapy role of this kind qualifies.

In New South Wales you apply through the state worker screening arrangements, via ocg.nsw.gov.au/ndiswc. You need your employer's NDIS Commission Employer ID number, which the employer provides, along with your personal and employment details. New South Wales may allow you to work in a risk-assessed role while your application is processed, subject to conditions such as appropriate supervision, so check current requirements before you assume either way.

The check is national. Apply in only one state or territory, and you do not need to reapply if you move interstate. A clearance is valid for five years and can be renewed from 90 days before expiry. The outcome is recorded in the national database, so you give an employer your screening number rather than uploading a document. You only reapply if your clearance expires or is cancelled.

Working with Children Check. Whether you also need one depends on your role and on state legislation rather than on the NDIS itself. Ask the New South Wales screening authority when you apply for your worker screening check, since they can tell you what applies to your specific role.

Worker orientation module. All staff of registered NDIS providers complete the NDIS Commission's worker orientation module, Quality, Safety and You, which covers what the NDIS Code of Conduct requires of you. It is done at induction.

The Code of Conduct itself. Every worker delivering NDIS supports is bound by it: respect individual rights, respect privacy, provide safe and competent supports with care and skill, act with integrity, honesty and transparency, raise and act on concerns promptly, prevent and respond to violence, exploitation, neglect and abuse, prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, and do not charge unjustified prices. It applies to you personally, not only to the organisation.

Records. A registered provider keeps written records of workers in risk-assessed roles for seven years, including your name, date of birth, address, role, and screening check number and expiry date.

How to apply

Get in touch through contact us, email hello@bloom-healthcare.com.au, or call 1300 771 465. Phones are attended Monday to Thursday 7:30am to 6:00pm and Friday 7:30am to 5:00pm.

Useful things to include when you make contact: your Ahpra registration status, whether you already hold an NDIS Worker Screening Check and when it expires, the areas of Sydney or New South Wales you can realistically cover, whether you want paediatric, adult or mixed work, and any areas you already have depth in, such as complex home modifications, assistive technology, driving assessment or early childhood.

If you are a client or family member rather than a job applicant, use make a referral or call 1300 771 465 instead.

Common questions about this role

Is this a clinic-based or mobile role?

Mobile. The primary delivery model is in the community, meaning homes, schools, day programs, workplaces and community settings, with telehealth where appropriate and clinic sessions arranged case by case.

Do I need my own car?

The role involves travelling to people across a geographic area, so reliable transport is central to how the work is done. Confirm the specific arrangements for this role when you apply.

What registration do I need?

Current registration with the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia through Ahpra. You will also need an NDIS Worker Screening Check, and possibly a Working with Children Check depending on the role and state requirements.

How long does an NDIS Worker Screening Check take, and can I start before it comes through?

Processing times vary. New South Wales may allow work in a risk-assessed role while an application is being processed, subject to conditions including appropriate supervision. Check the current position with the state screening authority rather than assuming.

I already have a screening check from another state. Do I need a new one?

No. The check is national and recognised across states and territories. You only need to apply again if it expires or is cancelled. Renewals can be lodged from 90 days before expiry.

What sort of caseload would I have?

Caseloads can be mixed across adult and paediatric work, or weighted towards one, depending on the role and your interests. Discuss it during recruitment, because it affects both your week and the supervision you will want.

What supervision would I get?

Weekly clinical supervision, Friday professional development sessions, at least two e-learning modules a month, evidence-based modules delivered by clinical leads, and internal and external supervision options. Structured mentoring is available for people building towards specialisation or leadership.

Which parts of Sydney does Bloom cover?

The New South Wales catchment includes Sydney, Parramatta, Penrith, Liverpool, Campbelltown, Hornsby, the Northern Beaches, Newcastle, Wollongong and Tweed Heads. The specific area attached to a role depends on where you are based and where demand sits.

Would I be writing a lot of reports?

Yes. Functional capacity assessment reports, progress reports for plan reassessment, and evidence to support assistive technology, home modification and funding requests are a real portion of the role. Protected administrative time and documentation systems are provided to support that.

Can I specialise?

Yes. Clinical specialisation pathways exist, along with leadership and project-based roles. Areas within occupational therapy here include complex home modifications, assistive technology, driving assessment, early childhood and cognitive assessment.

Do you take new graduates?

Recruitment requirements vary by role. Ask when you get in touch, and mention your supervision needs, because a mobile model puts more weight on structured supervision for early career clinicians.

What if I want to work in a different discipline or a different state?

Bloom delivers occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, psychology and counselling, exercise physiology, positive behaviour support and dietetics across seven states and territories. Say what you are looking for when you make contact.