Specialist Habilitation Officer in Sunderland

Specialist Habilitation Officer

Grade 6 / £34811 - £37563 per annum

Working Pattern: Full time 37 hours per week (Fixed Term, until 30th March, 2029)

Location: Bunny Hill Centre / Agile

Closing date: 23rd November 2026

Interview Date: Friday 11th December at City Hall, Sunderland

Join our Team

Together for Children Sunderland is on a transformative journey to make a real difference in the lives of children and young people in Sunderland. We are an outstanding Ofsted-rated Children’s service, if you’re committed to helping children, families, and our community thrive and have the skills to support our mission, we would love to hear from you. You can learn more about us here: Together for Children.

The Children’s Sensory Inclusion Team is a supportive, forward-thinking team, working within TFC’s innovative SEND Support Service. We believe in strong investment in professional development, offering opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills.

If you’re committed to empowering children and young people with vision impairments and want to work in a team that values creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning, we’d love to hear from you.

About the role

We are delighted to offer an exciting opportunity for an experienced, highly skilled and motivated Specialist Habilitation Officer (QHab) to join our Children’s Sensory Inclusion Team (CSIT). We welcome applications from those already qualified or in the process of completing the Mandatory Qualification in Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight (QHDS) or recognised equivalent qualification.

This brand new role will form part of our Experts at Hand offer in Sunderland, providing early intervention for children with vision impairments who require support with mobility and independence skills. The role will provide the opportunity to work closely with families and schools alongside a multidisciplinary team in locations across Sunderland.

The successful candidate will work as part of the VI peripatetic strand of the service, working in close partnership with educational settings and to help them achieve inclusive and accessible environments for all.

The successful candidate will contribute to the wider work of the CSIT and Specialist SEND Support Service within Together for Children – and will safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of a proactive and child-focused team, with a commitment to securing the personal and academic welfare of children/young people with vision impairments.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. We will also carry out an online internet search for information that is publicly available online that might suggest that you are not fit to work with children or young people.

Due to recent changes in UKVI rules, this role does not meet the criteria for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship under the updated eligibility requirements effective 22 July 2025.

We want you to apply if you:

• Hold Maths and English at GCSE Grade 4 / C (or equivalent)
• Qualified Specialist Habilitation Officer (QHab) (or currently working towards the Mandatory qualification)
• Relevant and recent experience of working with children / YP with VI and a good understanding of the impact that this can have on access to learning and education.
• Working within the Specialist Curriculum Framework for VI and NatSIP guidelines.
• Experience of delivering advice and training to schools, reducing barriers and promoting inclusion.
• Experience of working with children who may have a range of SEND needs in addition to a vision impairments.
• Working with children who have multi-sensory impairments (desirable)
• Relevant experience of working with children and young people with special educational needs in an educational context to reduce barriers, facilitate learning and encourage independence.
• Knowledge of current legislation regarding SEND Statutory processes including SEND Code of Practice

Why work with us?

• Make a difference: Our work matters. The work we do is incredibly rewarding. Join us and make a difference in the lives of our children, families, and community.
• Inclusion: Thrive in our diverse and inclusive culture and be part of our employee networks, including Accessibility, LGBTQ+, Racial Equality, Armed Forces and Menopause.
• Work-Life Balance: We offer a hybrid model of working with agile and flexible working arrangements, including part-time opportunities, flexible hours, and the possibility of remote work arrangements.
• Professional Development: Advance your career with our comprehensive induction, supervision, peer support, and supportive environment.
• Be part of a happier, healthier workforce: Benefit from our wide range of wellbeing activities and employee assistance programmes.
• Attractive Salary, Benefits and Rewards: for additional information please follow this link Together for Children Benefits and rewards.
• What our team think: About Us

We value diversity and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to various ages, disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, beliefs, races, and ethnicities. We aim for our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.

We are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. Please reach out to our EDI Lead inclusion@togetherforchildren.org.uk or peoplesupport@togetherforchildren.org.uk so we can discuss any adjustments or support we can provide during the recruitment process or within the workplace.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked-after young person, are care experienced, or are a veteran.