Highly specialist speech and language therapist

NHS; London; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a passionate Speech and Language Therapist to join their vibrant Mainstream Team in Islington. This role offers the opportunity to work collaboratively with schools, providing expert assessments and interventions for children with speech, language, and communication needs. You will play a key role in enhancing educational outcomes while working in a supportive and innovative environment. If you are dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children and thrive in a dynamic team, this position is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Highly specialist knowledge in assessing developmental language disorders.
• Experience in writing complex statutory assessment reports.

Responsibilities

• Deliver comprehensive therapy services for children with SLCN.
• Lead data collection on activity and outcomes for reporting.

Skills

Assessment and diagnosis of language disorders

Excellent written communication

Data collection and analysis

Autonomous working

Mentoring and supervising staff

Education

BSc. Speech Path or Equivalent

HPC licence to practise

Registered member of RCSLT

Tools

Assessment tools for communication skills

Job description

Job Summary

We have an exciting opportunity for a highly innovative and experienced Speech and Language Therapist to join our Mainstream Team. We are looking for a therapist who is passionate about working in Secondary and who thrives on sharing their knowledge and expertise with school staff to influence and enhance the everyday school environment. The post holder will work alongside Occupational Therapy and local authority Outreach colleagues to contribute towards the development of the Universal Offer to schools, based on neurodivergent affirming principles, to support better educational, health, social and developmental outcomes for children and young people within Islington. A key part of this role will be assessing, reviewing, and writing recommendations for advice towards children and young people's Education Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The post holder will also take a lead on collating data on activity and outcomes and preparing reports for the Local Authority and Integrated Care Board.

The post is based in Islington; an inner-London borough which is vibrant and diverse. The Mainstream Therapies Team provides a multi-disciplinary service for children with additional needs and disabilities. We are renowned for being a friendly and supportive team, as evidenced by winning the Whittington Health AHP Awards Team of the Year in 2023, for innovation, dedication, and supportive team environment.

Main Duties of the Job

The post holder is responsible for delivering a comprehensive and highly specialist therapy service consisting of assessment, diagnosis and intervention for individual children as well as providing a support service to schools themselves to enable them to meet the needs of all pupils with SLCN.

The post holder is an autonomous practitioner and is responsible for organising and managing their own timetable in various schools across the Borough, working from a central base. They will need highly specialist knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of developmental language disorders, and social communication difficulties including those associated with Autistic spectrum disorders and selective mutism. They will also need to be knowledgeable and experienced in assessing, treating and managing children who have associated syndromes or special educational needs which interact with their language development. This will include emotional and behavioural problems, ADHD, and syndromes such as Down's syndrome. They will require excellent written skills and ability to efficiently write high quality advice suitable to contribute towards a child's EHCP, as well as good data collection and analysis skills, to demonstrate outcomes.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• BSc. Speech Path or Equivalent (including Dip. CST)
• HPC licence to practise, and Registered member of RCSLT
• Successful completion of highly specialist/expert short courses relevant to field including DLD, ASD, education practice and learning difficulties

Knowledge and Experience Essential

• Of a range of highly specialist assessment tools and procedures to evaluate communication, speech & language skills in children & Young People
• Knowledge of local cultural, linguistic & demographic factors affecting client management
• Of providing supervision to less experienced staff
• Writing complex statutory assessment reports and supporting less experienced staff to write complex reports
• Of highly specialist approaches to mentoring, advising, supporting and clinically supervising less experienced SLTs and support staff
• Of highly specialist approaches to therapeutic interventions relevant to children & Young People
• Of the key characteristics leading to a differential diagnosis of language and communication difficulties
• Of selecting, setting & evaluating treatment goals

Skills and Abilities Essential

• Excellent written and spoken communication skills
• Ability to work autonomously, acting decisively on behalf of self and others, setting own priorities
• Ability to keep and organise activity and outcome data, providing this when requested

Personal Qualities Essential

• Pro-active and self-directed and able to take an innovative approach

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.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Employer: Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Address: Northern Health Centre, 580 Holloway Road, London, N7 6LD

Website: Whittington Hospital NHS Trust