Highly Specialist Children's Speech and Language Therapist

Integrated Care System; Sowerby Bridge; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading health organization is seeking a highly specialist Children's Speech and Language Therapist to work within a multidisciplinary team. The role involves providing specialist assessments, training professionals, and developing communication strategies for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs. Successful candidates will hold a master's degree and have experience working with complex communication needs. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on vulnerable children's lives in educational settings.

Qualifications

• HCPC registration and postgraduate training evidence are mandatory.
• Experience in paediatric assessment and treatment is required.
• Clinical educator training is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Liaise with and advise on Speech and Language Therapy programmes.
• Train professionals within and across disciplines.
• Deliver evidence-based care programmes and follow care pathways.

Skills

Effective communication skills with children with complex needs

Experience with autism and complex communication needs

Teamworking and partnership skills

Leadership and training experience

Education

HCPC registered

Masters level or equivalent

Job description

Go back Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Highly Specialist Children's Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 08 August 2025

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 7 Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to work as part of a newly developed Alternative Provision Specialist Taskforce. The team includes mental health professionals, educationalists, speech and language therapists, family workers, and other specialists providing intensive support to prevent vulnerable pupils from disengaging from education and potentially being at risk of child criminal exploitation.

This pilot taskforce aims to support the needs of a targeted group of young people and influence future provision by the Local Authority. The role will be supported by Speech and Language Therapists within the core team and colleagues within the Specialist Taskforce.

In this role, you will provide specialist triage, assessment, differential diagnosis, and treatment/discharge recommendations to young people with social, emotional, and mental health needs in a specialist resource provision. You will collaborate with the integrated team to develop pathways and training around speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) in the context of SEMH.

Main duties of the job

• To liaise with and advise on the management and implementation of Speech and Language Therapy programmes, monitoring progress and revising as needed.
• To train relevant professionals, both within and across disciplines.
• To support the development of universal and targeted strategies within the context of the Alternative Provision and wider educational settings.
• To deliver evidence-based care programmes and follow care pathways.
• To provide leadership and supervision to junior team members, including clinical supervision and first-line management where required.
• To apply clinical expertise based on evidence-based practice.
• To manage a caseload of children with SLCN independently.
• To maintain accurate records and work within Trust policies and professional boundaries.
• To prioritize your workload effectively.
• To adhere to RCSLT guidelines and national policies.

About us

CHFT is an integrated Trust of over 6,500 colleagues providing hospital and community services across Calderdale and Kirklees. Rated as 'Good' by the CQC, a top performer in Elective Recovery, Emergency, and Cancer Care, and a national digital leader.

Our people are central to our success, and we are committed to a Culture of Care. We seek an inclusive, collaborative, and compassionate leader to join us.

Job responsibilities

Clinical Duties

To act as a High Specialist clinician supporting the wider team with engaging young people and conducting assessments of their communication abilities. To train the workforce and foster a communication-friendly environment within the alternative provision.

To lead clinical practice in speech and language therapy for children, advancing best practices and ensuring effective care pathways.

To work autonomously, managing a clinical caseload, assessing, and treating children, and maintaining detailed records.

Specialist assessment and treatment skills include triage, complex needs identification, multi-pathology management, cognitive and perceptual difficulties, training others, and discharge planning.

To determine diagnoses, develop and evaluate treatment plans, and facilitate transitions back to educational settings or longer-term placements.

To collaborate within an interdisciplinary team, providing advice and training to school staff and other professionals, and participating in supervision and MDT meetings.

To ensure high standards of care, implement clinical standards, and contribute to service development through audits and governance initiatives.

Professional Duties

To develop and implement protocols, participate in clinical governance, and stay current with research and best practices. To manage equipment use and contribute to data collection and audit activities.

To support staff development and contribute to team objectives.

Managerial Duties

To advise on service delivery, support quality improvement, and ensure policy compliance. To maintain confidentiality and professional conduct.

Training and Development Duties

To develop training programs, lead in-service training, and participate in personal development planning. To provide highly specialist advice, teaching, and training to children, families, and professionals.

Financial Duties

There are no financial duties associated with this role.

Managing Self

To participate in supervision, mandatory training, appraisals, and adhere to policies. To maintain professional registration and conduct.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

• HCPC registered
• Postgraduate training evidence
• Clinical educator training
• Member of a professional body
• Masters level or equivalent

Communication and Relationships

• Effective communication skills, especially with children with complex needs
• Experience with autism and complex communication needs
• Teamworking and partnership skills
• Leadership and training experience

Knowledge, Experience, and Expertise

• Paediatric assessment and treatment experience
• Clinical reasoning and governance knowledge
• Experience with AAC tools and social communication

Other

This post is subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks.