Band 6 Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

NHS; Wallington; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A local health authority organization is seeking speech and language therapists to join a supportive team. This role involves working with children aged 4 to 25, providing therapy in various settings. Applicants must hold a degree and HCPC registration. Competitive salary, flexible working, and developmental support are offered.

Benefits

Salary of £43,359.42 - £51,501.25 per annum

Workplace pension scheme

28 days annual leave

Regular manager support

Hybrid and flexible working

Employee Assistance Programme

Health Cashback plans

Cognus Coaching Programmes

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent.
• Relevant qualifications including registration with HCPC.
• Ability to prioritize and deliver results to high standards.

Responsibilities

• Visiting and assessing children and young people with SLCN.
• Delivering specialist programmes on an individual and/or small group basis.
• Advising parents and staff on best practices.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

Prioritization skills

Experience as a paediatric speech and language therapist

Education

Degree in relevant field

Registration with HCPC

Job description

Overview

We are seeking enthusiastic speech and language therapists to join our friendly and supportive team. Collaborative working is an important part of the role. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic team providing innovative therapy interventions following evidence-based practise and an embedded model of therapy in order to best support the pupils needs.

Cognus Therapies is owned by the London Borough of Sutton and forms part of Cognus Limited who are the providers for special educational needs services within the borough. Cognus Therapies provides a robust supervision framework with all posts receiving managerial and clinical supervision. Regular time is allocated for Continuing Professional Development. All applicants are required to hold a registration with the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).

Main duties

Cognus Therapies are a thriving multidisciplinary team of speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, teachers, practitioners and therapy assistants who support children and young people aged 4 to 25 years in mainstream schools, colleges, and specialist settings within the London Borough of Sutton and surrounding boroughs. We work with children and young people with a variety of special educational needs, e.g. Autism, Deafness, Down Syndrome, Developmental Language Disorder, PMLD, MLD, Dyslexia and many more and encourage all our therapists to gain experience and expertise across a Range of specialisms.

• Working within a multidisciplinary team of speech therapists and occupational therapists, the post holder will have the opportunity to work in local schools and colleges across the 4 years to 25 years age range or with a smaller age range within this.
• Advising and supporting local schools / settings with children and young people with Speech, Language & Communication Needs (SLCN) including a possible cohort with ASD or PMLD and SLCN; to manage their caseload to ensure that intended outcomes are delivered within agreed service standards.
• Raising awareness of the needs of and strategies available for children and young people with SLCN.

About us

Cognus Limited is a Local Authority Traded Company, which is commissioned by the London Borough of Sutton to provide education services to early years providers, mainstream schools and specialist education settings in Sutton. Wholly owned by the local authority, we deliver a wide range of high-quality services to deliver excellent practice that improve the lives of children, young people, and families in Sutton and beyond.

What we offer

You will give us great commitment and in return we offer an excellent package including:

• Salary of £43,359.42 - £51,501.25 per annum (Cognus Band 3 to 4)
• Workplace pension scheme 4% to 8% matched contributions
• 28 days annual leave pro rata (plus Bank Holidays)
• Regular manager support and supervision
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Staff benefits package, currently including Employee Assistance Programme, Perkbox and (upon completion of probation) Sovereign Healthcare Cashback plans
• Staff EDI group and Mental Health First Aiders to support wellbeing and inclusion
• Cognus Coaching Programmes
• An ambitious culture with friendly and supportive colleagues
• Opportunities for visa sponsorship subject to availability

Details

• Date posted: 22 September 2025
• Salary: £43,359.42 to £51,501.25 a year Inclusive of HCAS
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working, Term time hours
• Location: Cognus Ltd, Railway Approach, Wallington, Surrey, SM6 0DZ, Schools within London Borough of Sutton, Sutton, SM6 0DZ

Role responsibilities

To personally undertake a case load of referrals to include:

• Visiting and assessing children and young people with SLCN.
• To appropriately identify service provision in line with child and young persons needs at specialist, targeted or universal level of support.
• Delivery of specialist programmes on an individual and/or small group basis.
• Offering advice to parents and carers as well as teaching staff at a targeted or universal level.
• Maintaining children\'s and young people\'s records to a high standard.

Specific duties:

To advise and support school staff on the education of children and young people with SLCN including:

• Screening and prioritising new referrals in order to determine the need and level of therapy provision required in line with service criteria.
• At the point of referral, gathering relevant information regarding previous and current input from health and social care services.
• Carrying out a range of non-standardised and standardised assessments and interpreting a range of factors relating to the child or young person\'s condition; focusing on access to education.
• Providing reports to referrers and other agencies involved in the child/young persons\' care and advice on appropriate differentiation of and access to the curriculum.
• Plan, create and deliver a wide range of tailored interventions and/ or therapy programmes where direct SaLT input is indicated and effectively hand over prescribed programmes through training and modelling with teaching staff, parents and carers.
• To maintain effective liaison with all partners e.g. parents/ carers, professionals in Education, Health, Social Care and other Services with particular regard to Safeguarding and best practice.
• To monitor and record child or young persons\' progress and effectiveness of intervention through goal setting, outcome measurement and evaluation of practice and to communicate these with key stakeholders.
• Collaboration with a range of partner agencies to create effective transition support for specific children and young people.
• Promotion of effective inclusion of children and young people into all aspects of the school curriculum.
• To attend and contribute to team meetings as required.

Training and Development Responsibility

• To be aware of changing trends in treatment and promote Evidence Based Practice; embedding this into own specialist area of work in order to provide the highest standard of care to service users.
• Embedding legislative change and key developments relating to improved outcomes for young people with SLCN.
• To participate in clinical audit, service development activities and research programmes as required.
• To engage with continual professional development as identified through managerial and clinical supervision and appraisal, including attending training and courses as agreed.
• To comply with the Cognus Limited mandatory training requirements.
• As part of the therapies team to plan, deliver and evaluate training sessions for schools and educational providers.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Relevant qualifications including registration with HCPC
• Ability to prioritise and deliver results to high standards
• Excellent organisational skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Leads others by setting a positive example in line with company values and acts as a role model
• Experience as a paediatric speech and language therapist
• Adherence to RCSLT and HCPC policies and procedures
• Decisive with problem-solving skills
• Is committed to safeguarding and protection of children
• Honours and upholds the Company\'s Equal Opportunities Policy, Dignity at Work Policy, Safeguarding and Protection of Children Policy, Health and Safety Policy and Data Protection Policy at all times.

Note: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service may be required. Applicants must have current UK professional registration.