Qualified Habilitation Specialist
Closing date: Wednesday 23 April 2025
Location: Home-based UK with regular travel across across Torbay, Plymouth, or Cornwall
Hours: 35 hours per week
Salary: £34,805 - £38,388, depending on experience
Contract: Permanent
Interview date: W/C 5 May 2025
You’re passionate about supporting children and young people with vision impairment to develop confidence and independence. You thrive in a role that combines one-to-one, person-centred training with group work and collaboration.
As Habilitation Specialist, you’ll deliver specialist mobility and independence training to children and young people, helping them build the skills they need to navigate the world. You’ll assess individual needs, develop tailored habilitation programmes, and work closely with families, schools, and professionals to provide ongoing support. Whether you’re teaching one-to-one or running group sessions alongside colleagues, your work will make a real difference.
You’ll need to be highly organised, managing your own diary and prioritising children based on their needs. Covering a predominantly rural area, this role involves regular travel, with flexibility required to provide occasional cover across Torbay, Plymouth, or Cornwall. You’ll work independently much of the time but will also be a valued part of a supportive team, attending meetings in Exeter and staying connected through technology and in-person collaboration.
Seeing young people succeed will be at the heart of what you do. You’ll take pride in their achievements, adapting your approach to suit each individual’s learning style. A strong communicator, you’ll engage effectively with children, families, and professionals, ensuring a joined-up approach to support.
To be successful in this role, you’ll need to hold the Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight Graduate Diploma (IOE) and one or more of the following qualifications: BSc Hons Top-up Degree in Habilitation Studies (BCU Birmingham City University), Rehabilitation Officer Diploma / Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) – Working with Children with Visual Impairment, or another nationally recognised qualification in habilitation training for children and young people with visual impairment.
If you hold a Foundation Degree in Rehabilitation Work (Visual Impairment) or a Diploma in Higher Education in Rehabilitation Studies, you’ll need to demonstrate a commitment to further study to achieve full habilitation accreditation.
Experience working with children and young people aged 0–25 years is essential, and you’ll also need to be registered with an appropriate professional body upon appointment (registration fees funded by Guide Dogs). A full UK driving licence or an alternative means of meeting the travel requirements is required.
This role involves significant travel covering a large rural area in all weather conditions, handling specialist equipment, and delivering practical habilitation training, so resilience and adaptability are key. This is a rewarding role where you can truly make a difference to the lives of young people.
No two people with sight loss are the same, and none of our people are either. So, we are proud to offer a range of person-centred benefits that can support each member of staff in ways that really mean something to them – and show them how much they mean to us. We offer a flexible benefits package, discounts and cashback scheme, a generous holiday allowance and matched contributory pension scheme to care for our people.
How to Apply
For more information about this role and to submit an application, please visit this link: Qualified Habilitation Specialist
For further information about this vacancy and details of how to apply, please visit the The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association website: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/
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