(Graduating) Speech & Language Therapist

Sussexcommunity; Chichester; On-site; GBP 29,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading community healthcare provider in Sussex is seeking a Band 5 Speech and Language Therapist. This role offers an opportunity for new graduates or those looking to expand their experience. The therapist will work with children, providing assessments and therapy in various settings. The position includes flexible working options and support for professional development.

Benefits

Flexible working options

Training and development opportunities

Workplace nurseries

Qualifications

• Recognized Speech and Language Therapy Degree required.
• HCPC registration applied for.
• RCSLT membership needed.

Responsibilities

• Assess children's speech, language, and communication needs.
• Provide individual or group therapy.
• Write reports and intervention plans.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Presentation skills

Education

Speech and Language Therapy Degree

Job description

(Graduating) Speech & Language Therapist

The Children's Speech and Language Therapy service has a vacancy at Band 5 for a therapist seeking their first post or an opportunity to extend their experience and skills at this level. We offer full or part-time positions (minimum of 22.5 hours per week) based from our team hubs in Chichester, covering areas to the south and west of West Sussex.

This vacancy provides the opportunity to gain experience in Early Years Community Clinics and Mainstream Schools.

This role is ideal for transitioning from student to therapist and developing a broad range of therapeutic skills. During your preceptorship year, clinical time will be reduced to facilitate development activities, supported by structured supervision within our team.

For more details, please see the accompanying documentation:

• Job description and person specification
• 'Day in the life'
• Additional information

Feel free to contact us for an informal chat with our clinical leads or operational team lead.

Main duties of the job

Our service is jointly funded by Health and Education, focusing on enabling communication between children, parents, carers, and setting staff through a universal, targeted, and specialist approach.

You will work as part of a supportive team to:

1. Assess children's speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) and their impact
2. Advise families and settings on support strategies
3. Provide individual or group therapy and demonstrate techniques to parents and staff
4. Train parents and staff to manage communication needs
5. Write reports and intervention plans, sharing targets and outcomes
6. Measure and report on the effectiveness of interventions
7. Maintain your professional development and progress in your career
8. Participate in clinical networks to ensure evidence-based practice

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people, delivering essential care to manage health, reduce hospital stays, and prevent admissions.

Our vision is to provide excellent community care. We offer diverse opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive NHS Staff Survey results highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: hospitals, homes, community bases
• Flexible working options
• Training, development, and research opportunities
• Workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active networks for diversity and wellbeing
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
• Beautiful Sussex location

Our values: Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence

We value diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, especially from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Job responsibilities

• Assess and provide therapy for children with communication and eating/drinking difficulties
• Manage caseloads independently, prioritizing client needs
• Assist in caseload organization with support from colleagues and report issues to the Clinical Lead
• Manage clinical risks and develop strategies accordingly
• Adapt practice to individual circumstances, involving children and families in planning
• Provide accurate statistics as required
• Follow HCPC standards, RCSLT guidelines, policies, and evidence-based practices
• Perform any other duties aligned with the role

See the attached job description and person specification for more details.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognized Speech and Language Therapy Degree
• HCPC registration applied for
• RCSLT membership

Experience

• Effective communication with individuals with communication difficulties
• Relevant undergraduate/postgraduate experience
• Experience with assessment tools relevant to the client group

Skills and Knowledge

• Knowledge of therapeutic interventions for children with speech/language difficulties
• Ability to evaluate research for efficacy of methods
• Analytical and reflective skills
• Strong presentation skills (written and verbal)
• Organizational skills

Other requirements

• Car owner/driver or alternative transportation

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post requires a DBS check due to the nature of the role.

Salary: £29,970 to £36,483 per annum (pro-rata)