CYP Speech & Language Assessor

The Methodist Church in Britain; Hawkesley; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension

Structured learning and development

Clinical leadership opportunities

Career progression

Genuine flexibility

Job summary

Vertis Health, a federation of Worcestershire GP practices, is seeking a speech and language therapist to join the children and young people neurodevelopmental service. You will assess 6-17 year olds on ADHD and autism diagnostic pathways and help shape service growth.

Current HCPC registration and substantial post-qualification experience with young people are essential. The role offers clinical leadership opportunities, robust safeguarding governance, and flexible working arrangements.

Qualifications

• Current HCPC registration as a speech and language therapist.
• Significant post-qualification experience with children and young people in neurodevelopmental, paediatric, CAMHS or closely related settings.
• Demonstrable experience conducting speech, language and communication assessments within a CYP diagnostic or neurodevelopmental pathway.
• Integrating multi-source assessment evidence into clear clinical reasoning aligned to DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria.
• Strong report writing, delivered to deadlines.
• Sound understanding of safeguarding, risk identification and escalation within CYP services.

Responsibilities

• Carry out structured speech, language and communication assessments
• Review referrals and supporting evidence to inform pathway decisions
• Gather information from families, schools and other professionals
• Contribute specialist clinical reasoning to multidisciplinary diagnostic discussions
• Support diagnostic decision-making through evidence-based assessment
• Identify co-occurring communication, language and social communication needs
• Write high-quality assessment reports in neurodiversity-affirming language
• Share assessment outcomes sensitively with children, young people and families
• Provide practical recommendations, communication strategies and reasonable adjustments
• Keep accurate clinical records within safeguarding and governance requirements

Skills

Structured assessments

Clinical reasoning

Report writing

Safeguarding knowledge

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Neurodiversity-affirming practice

Evidence-based assessment

Tools

ADOS-2

Job description

This post places a speech and language therapist in the children and young people\'s neurodevelopmental service of Vertis Health, a federation of Worcestershire GP practices. The core work is speech, language and social communication assessment of children and young people aged 6 to 17 on ADHD and autism diagnostic pathways, feeding team diagnostic decisions. The role also offers influence over pathway design and service improvement as the service grows. Current HCPC registration and substantial post-qualification experience with young people are essential.

What the job involves

• Carry out structured speech, language and communication assessments
• Review referrals and supporting evidence to inform pathway decisions
• Gather information from families, schools and other professionals
• Contribute specialist clinical reasoning to multidisciplinary diagnostic discussions
• Support diagnostic decision-making through evidence-based assessment
• Identify co-occurring communication, language and social communication needs
• Write high-quality assessment reports in neurodiversity-affirming language
• Share assessment outcomes sensitively with children, young people and families
• Provide practical recommendations, communication strategies and reasonable adjustments
• Keep accurate clinical records within safeguarding and governance requirements

What’s required

Registration & licences

• Current HCPC registration as a speech and language therapist

Experience

• Significant post-qualification experience with children and young people in neurodevelopmental, paediatric, CAMHS or closely related settings
• Demonstrable experience conducting speech, language and communication assessments within a CYP diagnostic or neurodevelopmental pathway

Skills & knowledge

• Integrating multi-source assessment evidence into clear clinical reasoning aligned to DSM-5 and ICD-11 criteria
• Strong report writing, delivered to deadlines
• Sound understanding of safeguarding, risk identification and escalation within CYP services

Other

• Confident multidisciplinary working and following governed diagnostic pathways and service SOPs
• Commitment to equality, reasonable adjustments and neurodiversity-affirming practice

Nice to have

• Experience using validated standardised language and communication assessment tools within a neurodevelopmental or diagnostic pathway
• Experience assessing children and young people with dual presentation (ASD and ADHD) and navigating pathway interfaces
• Experience of working in high-volume assessment services or Right to Choose models
• Experience of audit, service improvement or documentation standards work in neurodevelopmental or CAMHS services
• Familiarity with ADOS-2 administration as part of an MDT model

What’s offered

• Access to the NHS Pension
• Structured learning and development
• Clinical leadership opportunities
• Career progression
• Genuine flexibility, depending on the role