Introduction
The Occupational Therapist – Child and Family Health role at Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District supports children aged up to eight with mild developmental concerns or learning difficulties. Based primarily at Springwood and Penrith Community Health Centres, the work brings assessment, family goals and practical intervention together. You will work alongside speech pathology, physiotherapy, counselling and nursing colleagues to help children and their families.
This guide explains how to apply for Occupational Therapist – Child and Family Health, with particular attention to the clinical examples worth preparing. Both new graduates and experienced occupational therapists are welcome to apply. If you are a new graduate, identify relevant placement experience and describe your own contribution accurately, including the supervision you received.
Applications close on 3 November 2026. Before writing, read the official job ad and check the application form for the exact documents and written responses required. A useful application will connect your clinical reasoning, communication and organisation to this community paediatric setting.
Occupational Therapist – Child and Family Health role snapshot
| Organisation | Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District |
|---|---|
| Location | Springwood and Penrith Community Health Centres. Other community health centre locations can be negotiated. |
| Classification | Occupational Therapist Level 1/2 |
| Employment | Temporary full-time, up to 30 June 2028. Job share can be considered for part-time hours. |
| Hours | Up to 38 per week |
| Remuneration | $40.05–$57.14 per hour |
| Reference | REQ700846; iWorkForNSW job 606347 |
| Closing date | 3 November 2026 |
| Official vacancy | View the official job ad |
Application requirements for Occupational Therapist – Child and Family Health
The public vacancy page does not specify a document list, page limits or separate targeted questions. Check the online application before deciding what to upload, and answer every written question using its exact wording and limit. The eight points under “What you will bring to the role” provide a useful preparation checklist; confirm how the application form asks you to address them.
As practical preparation, have these ready:
- A current CV tailored to paediatric occupational therapy and community care.
- Short evidence notes addressing the clinical, teamwork, organisation and communication requirements below.
- An optional, focused two-page cover letter, if the application form allows one and gives no different instruction.
These are preparation recommendations. Follow the required uploads and response fields in the application form, including any pre-screening or selection questions. Keep qualification and registration details accurate and available for any supporting evidence requested.
Essential role requirements
- A degree in Occupational Therapy or an equivalent qualification recognised by the Occupational Therapy Board of Australia.
- Eligibility for, or current registration with, AHPRA as an occupational therapist.
- A current driver’s licence and willingness to use it for work purposes.
- Appropriate work rights. Appointment of a temporary visa holder can occur only if no suitable Australian permanent resident or citizen has been identified, and must remain within the visa’s duration and conditions.
Read the linked position description and check any pre-employment conditions before submitting. If you need clarification about your registration status, proposed work location or hours, contact Jacqueline Henderson at [email protected].
Candidate evidence for Occupational Therapist – Child and Family Health
The clinical requirements call for examples that explain how you assess needs, make decisions and work with families. Use the six evidence areas below to choose experiences you can discuss confidently. They reflect the skills and experience sought for this vacancy; the suggested examples are application guidance.
| Candidate requirement | What to show in your application |
|---|---|
| Experience with children and families, and understanding of typical child development | Describe an assessment or intervention where your understanding of development helped you identify a child’s needs. Explain how you involved the family in setting useful goals. |
| Occupational therapy practice across a broad range of consumer groups | Show the range of presentations or settings you have worked with and how you adapted your approach. New graduates can use relevant placements, clearly identifying their role and supervision. |
| Multidisciplinary teamwork and managing routine clinical matters with minimal supervision | Explain how you coordinated a care plan with other disciplines, managed your own work and recognised when advice or escalation was needed. |
| Organisation and time management | Use an example of balancing assessments, interventions, documentation and follow-up. Explain the priorities you set and how you kept care progressing. |
| Evidence-based decision making and commitment to quality improvement | Identify a relevant practice resource you used, why it suited the situation and how it informed your decision. Include a genuine improvement contribution or reflection on service quality. |
| Verbal communication, clinical documentation and formal reporting | Show how you explained findings to a family, communicated with a team or agency, and recorded a clear assessment or report. Explain how you made information understandable and useful. |
Example application structure for Occupational Therapist – Child and Family Health
If a cover letter is accepted, use it to connect your experience to this child and family health service. A focused two-page cover letter is our recommendation, subject to any different instruction in the application form. The outline below shows how to organise it around the role’s candidate requirements.
| Cover letter section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Opening | Name the role and REQ700846, summarise your occupational therapy background and explain your interest in community paediatric work. |
| Children, families and clinical practice | Use a concise clinical or placement example that brings together child development, assessment, family goals and intervention. Add relevant breadth of practice without listing every placement or duty. |
| Teamwork and clinical organisation | Explain your contribution to coordinated care, how you managed routine work and how you used supervision appropriately. Make your prioritisation and follow-through clear. |
| Evidence and improvement | Show how a practice resource informed a clinical decision, and describe a specific contribution to improvement or learning. |
| Communication and reporting | Give a brief example of communicating with a family or professional colleague and producing useful clinical documentation. |
| Eligibility and close | Accurately confirm your qualification, registration or eligibility, driver’s licence and relevant availability. Finish with the contribution you would bring to the team. |
Make the clinical reasoning easy to follow
For a paediatric example, briefly explain the concern, the assessment you contributed to, the family’s priority and your intervention decisions. Then describe what changed, how progress was reviewed and what you learned. Keep client details deidentified and use outcomes you can substantiate. If the work was completed on placement, make the boundaries of your responsibility clear.
Before you submit
- Check the exact written questions, attachment fields and limits in the application form.
- Make sure your examples cover all six candidate evidence areas, with qualification and licence details kept clear.
- Check that your CV, cover letter and online answers agree on dates, responsibilities and registration status.
- Read the position description and confirm any additional employment conditions.
- Submit by 3 November 2026 and retain the submission confirmation.
Return to the official vacancy for the latest instructions before you submit.
Help with your Occupational Therapist – Child and Family Health application
If you would like help turning your clinical experience into clear written evidence, Team 3Thirty can help prepare your application. We work with your actual experience and examples, so the documents explain your contribution accurately. Request application support here.