Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Do you have a passion for working with children with complex needs and learning difficulties? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you. We are looking to recruit a dynamic, enthusiastic and creative Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) into a 1 WTE Band 6 SLT role. You would be joining a well-established team based at Peace Children's Centre in Watford, where you would have access to specialist support to help grow your specialist skills.

Initially you will work up to 4 days a week within Breakspeare school in Watford, supporting children and young people (CYP) with severe learning difficulties. The remainder of the week you will be supporting pre-school children within a range of settings. You will work collaboratively within settings, providing assessment and therapy to meet the needs of CYP with complex needs, and you will have the opportunity to develop your specialist clinical skills, including developing dysphagia competencies. As a specialist speech and language therapist you will use your skills and experience to support the wider SLT team.

Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust provides Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county. Our Children and Young People's Therapies (CYPT) integrated service provides opportunities for collaborative working, joint training and shared learning amongst each profession. Our service is jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings. CYPT service is an innovative and agile service, committed to delivering high quality care and transforming lives.

*Proposed interview date: 22-April-2025*

Main duties of the job

You will have the opportunity to work as part of an MDT within Breakspeare School in Abbots Langley, working with the wider CYP Team and teaching staff. You will access support from the established local special school team, who meet regularly to discuss collaborative working and support development of specialist skills. You will also use your specialist skills to support pre-school children within community and home settings.

We offer:

• Regular group supervision, managerial supervision and a well-established appraisal system
• CPD opportunities such as Bitesize tutorials, peer review and locally hosted CENs for DLD and ASD
• Opportunities to develop leadership skills and to supervise less experienced members of staff
• Opportunities to work alongside other therapists/assistants to deliver evidence-based episodes of care to children/young people requiring specialist support
• A 2 week induction period where you will have the opportunity to observe and shadow your team, including access to a buddy

Job responsibilities

Successful candidates will need to be enthusiastic and motivated. Good communication, clinical reasoning and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player but be able to work autonomously and have the ability to champion the needs of your patients.

If you would like to know more about our service and about this particular role, please do get in touch.

Applicants wanting to work full time or part time will be considered. A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• Recognised SLT degree qualification or equivalent (Post Graduate Diploma or MSc in Speech and Language Therapy leading to registration with HCPC)
• HCPC Licence to Practice
• Fully Registered member of RCSLT
• Post graduate training in area of work, internal or external
• Member of relevant CEN

Experience and Knowledge

• Well established knowledge of assessments and interventions for client group
• Familiar with policies and procedures relating to Child Protection
• Knowledge of NHS, Education and Social Care policy and directives where these impact on area of specialism or service delivery
• Experience of managing own caseload

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with parents, carers and other professionals
• Experience of providing training and support to SLT students, SLTAs, professionals and carers
• Ability to assess, analyse, interpret and compare complex information and make decisions on appropriate course of action
• Work with a wide range of diagnosis groups, including learning disability, physical and neurological impairment
• Highly developed auditory and perceptual skills for specialist assessment, differential diagnosis and treatment of clients
• Ability to act swiftly to react to the needs and actions of all age ranges e.g. challenging behaviours.
• Able to switch between different techniques and models of service delivery within a short time frame.
• Able to contribute specialist knowledge as part of legal proceedings involved in child protection and educational tribunals when required.

Other

• Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum pro rata