Vision Rehabilitation Specialist

Job Title: Vision Rehabilitation Specialist/ VRS Apprentice (Community Care Officer)
Starting Salary: Level 10 - £37,035 progressing to £40,476 - per annum – pay award pending + £1000 welcome payment, lease car & relocation - terms apply
Hours: 37 hours per week
Location: Countywide
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Adult Care Services

VRS Apprenticeship:

Salary Range: Level 8 - £30,559 progressing to £33,366 - with opportunity to progress to Level 10 upon completion of the apprenticeship and successful job application to the VRS position.
Contract Type: 2 Year Fixed Term or Secondment opportunity for the duration of the apprenticeship

This is an exciting opportunity to join Hertfordshire County Council’s Sensory Services, based at Farnham House, Stevenage.

We are looking for a VRS to join our dynamic multi-disciplinary team, whose focus is on enabling individuals with visual impairments, deaf/ hard of hearing and deafblindness to achieve optimum control of their lives, through the process of rehabilitation. Ideally you will have already achieved qualification to undertake this role and have experience of providing relevant support to individuals within their home and the wider community.

If you have other relevant qualifications or would be interested in undertaking the VRS Apprenticeship, we still want to hear from you.

About the team

Sensory Services is a county-wide service, working with both children and adults with sensory needs. We are seen as a flagship service, especially for the work that we do with the Sensory Strategy, influencing and shaping, keeping people with sensory needs at the heart of our work, working closely with partners.

Equally, in our team, we are proud to have a fully inclusive, diverse team of VRS, VRS apprentices, Community Care Officers (CCO), social worker and deafblind workers. We use assessment tools and support plans for the people we support and their carers to carry out assessments in the person’s own home.

We provide rehabilitation input using an outcome focused approach including provision of low vision aids, rehabilitation training in orientation, mobility, and daily living skills.

We provide additional in-house training to enable you to support people for example, short courses on specific conditions e.g. dementia/ complex needs, knowledge of Safeguarding/ Mental capacity Act and functional assessments (such as providing rails or other equipment)

You will be supported by our committed and supportive team including professional supervision. Hertfordshire County Council offers excellent opportunities for flexible working and professional development.

Hertfordshire County Council offers excellent opportunities for flexible working and professional development.

About the role

• Work collaboratively and build professional trusting relationships with our clients, their carers’, and other organisations. With excellent communication skills you will contribute to the development of services, looking at ways to improve the customer journey experience.
• Deliver tailored packages of Rehabilitation around daily living skills and mobility using a person centred strengths based approach
• Ensure the safe use of a wide range of specialist equipment with an up-to-date knowledge of: eye conditions and treatments, along with knowledge of the practical application of teaching and learning theories.
• Undertake assessments and review their outcomes

About you

Essential

• Qualification i.e.: Diploma/ Foundation degree in Rehabilitation studies (Visual Impairment) or willingness to complete the Rehab Apprenticeship as required by the University: Vision Rehabilitation Specialist (Adults) - Higher Apprenticeship - FdSc - 2025/26 Entry | Birmingham City University and note the Entry Requirement in term of minimum qualification and experiences required for the course. It is important to be aware that by doing Apprenticeship, you will be expected to be away from home for a period of time during the course, travel and accommodation will be provided)
• Registered with Rehabilitation Professional Workers Network and/or Habilitation VI UK (formerly MISE).
• Experience of working with adults and children with visual impairment including those with additional disabilities/ support needs
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Driving licence to travel county-wide for meetings and community visits.

Desirable

• For VRS apprentice - You will be expected to register with Rehab Worker Professional Network as part of your apprenticeship and to maintain your registration once qualified.
• Understanding of the Care Act, and other statutory legislations within the Adult Social Care and Children’s Services, relevant to the role.
• Experience of working in statutory services, working with multi-disciplinary professionals and familiar with contributing to safeguarding practice.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is within the Health and Social Care Services, level HSC10 or Level HSC8 job profile. Please locate this via:

Job profiles - Health and social care

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Lynsey.Patterson@hertfordshire.gov.uk or Isabelle.Worth@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

This is a rolling advert and applications will be considered as an when received

For VRS Apprentices - Assessment Centre selection days for shortlisted candidates, will be held either online or at Birmingham City University. please keep April 2026 free as slots will be allocated following shortlisting.

Start date at university for successful candidates will be September 2026 - Induction week. You will be required to attend University for the whole induction week and prepare for all University block weeks throughout the academic year.

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Additional information

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.