Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Warrington; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

A community healthcare NHS trust is seeking a qualified Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist to work with children facing communication challenges. This role offers the chance to collaborate with a friendly team, develop person-centric treatment plans, and contribute to innovative service delivery across clinics and schools. Flexible working options, ongoing professional development support, and a commitment to healthcare excellence are part of the package. The closing date for applications is 30 October 2025.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Internal CPD days

Protected learning time

Qualifications

• Experience working with children with special educational needs.
• Knowledge of assessment tools and therapeutic interventions.
• Ability to produce reports and act on evidence-based practice.

Responsibilities

• Assess and diagnose children with communication disorders.
• Develop and implement Speech and Language Therapy treatment plans.
• Provide advice and coaching to education staff and parents.

Skills

Knowledge of paediatric communication problems

Interpersonal skills

Coaching/training experience

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Education

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification

Health Care Professions Council registration

RCSLT Licence to Practice

Job description

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 30 October 2025

Are you a qualified or about to qualify Speech and Language Therapist who is passionate about working with children? Are you enthusiastic and would like to work within a large, friendly team?

We have a B5 role offering an exciting opportunity to work in a team committed to modernised practice.

You will ensure that our clients in clinics, mainstream schools and other settings receive evidence-based care and help the team to continually develop effective interventions based on current research. You would see children and young people with a wide range of speech, language and communication needs including DLD, speech sound disorders, stammering, social communication difficulties and those associated with learning difficulties.

We are a large, friendly team with protected learning time guaranteed, internal CPD days, regular Team Days, flexible working opportunities (including working from home) and clerical support. We offer a range of supervision both formal and informal, following RCSLT guidance for newly qualified staff working towards their competencies. You will be supported by all your colleagues as well as by Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapists and Team Leaders.

At Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust our mission is to improve local health and wellbeing in the communities we serve. We want to ensure that our patients, their families, communities, and our stakeholders receive the right care, in the right place and at the right time.

Main duties of the job

In this role you will complete initial assessments and reviews, write reports and devise care plans for children and young people in a range of settings including community clinics, mainstream schools and other settings such as designated provisions or special schools.

You will work closely with health colleagues and education staff advising on class-based strategies and developing programmes that will be implemented by education staff in schools and by parents/carers in children’s homes.

You will deliver therapy in clinic or in children’s homes.

You may also be required to deliver training sessions to parents and education staff.

You will contribute to service development initiatives through small working groups as required.

About us

Flexible working will be considered for all roles.

Unfortunately, we do not hold a sponsor licence for working Visas.

At Bridgewater, our PEOPLE values shape how we deliver our NHS services in your local community.

They help us deliver our mission to improve local health and promote wellbeing in the communities we serve.

After all, values are about people and they were created in partnership with our staff to reflect what they felt was important to them.

Here at Bridgewater our shared values flow through the organisation.

P – Person-centred – We are passionate about individual needs and promote independence in the healthcare we provide.

E – Empowered – We empower our people and encourage new ideas to deliver and create improvements in community care.

O – Open and Honest – We behave in a way that develops relationships based on trust, openness, honesty and respect.

P – Professional – We support our people, so everyone has the right skills and training to deliver outstanding patient care.

L – Locally Lead – We are always learning about our communities and show great pride in being a local provider of health and care.

E – Efficient – We use our resources wisely to provide sustainable and value for money healthcare for our patients.

Job responsibilities

To assess and diagnose children with communication disorders, including those with special educational needs.

To develop and implement Speech and Language Therapy treatment and to evaluate outcomes.

To take clinical responsibility for a varied paediatric caseload of differing complexities and to organise this effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.

To ensure that clients are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their treatment plans wherever possible.

To provide advice and coaching to others regarding the management and care of clients with communication difficulties.

To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice and agreed outcome measures.

To produce reports regarding clients' needs and summarising proposed care plans.

To contribute to legal documents such as Education Health and Care Plans, Individual Education Plans and Annual Reviews.

Please see Full Job description attached.

Person Specification

Skills & Knowledge

• Relevant knowledge / placement / experience with a range of paediatric communication problems (e.g. Speech Disorders, Development Language Disorder, ASD, Learning Disabilities).
• Knowledge or relevant experience of a range of assessment tools / therapeutic interventions.
• Experience in coaching/training other professionals / parents.
• Knowledge of EYFS and Code of Practice including SEND Reforms.
• Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills.
• Negotiation and problem solving skills.
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills.
• Good presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Good organisational skills.
• Good auditory skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically.
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team member.
• Knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group.
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group).
• Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group).
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group).
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping.
• Evidence of CPD.
• Treating range of communication problems.
• Relevant knowledge of assessing / treating fluency.
• Experience of AAC.
• Experience working in collaboration with parents and professionals, sharing strategies and providing advice to support children in settings.
• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance/audit.

Sponsorship

• Do you have the right to stay and work in the UK without sponsorship (share‑codes will be checked if applicable).

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or Equivalent.
• Health Care Professions Council registration.
• RCSLT Licence to Practice.
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence Networks (CENs).

Job Specific Requirements

• The ability to travel independently across the Trust.
• The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs.

Relationships

• If you are related to a director, or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust