Specialist Speech & Language Therapist

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD); Exeter; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is seeking a Speech and Language Therapist to deliver high-standard services for children and young people in a community setting. You will provide specialist assessments, guidance across pathways, and manage a complex caseload with evidence-based approaches.

The role requires HCPC registration, a SLT degree, and ongoing CPD, with flexible working patterns and opportunities to contribute to multidisciplinary care across CFHD pathways.

Qualifications

• BSc or Diploma in Speech and Language (SLT) required.
• State registration with HCPC (current).
• Evidence of CPD in a portfolio with recent courses.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist SLT assessment and intervention for children with complex needs in community settings.
• Offer expert guidance and training across designated SLT pathways to uphold clinical governance.
• Screen, triage referrals and manage caseloads with a strengths-based approach.

Job description

About Us

Devon Partnership NHS Trust

The closing date is 31 October 2026

Job Summary

To provide a high standard of Speech and Language therapy (SLT) service to children and young people within a community setting.

To act as a source of expertise on SLT providing training and guidance regarding specialist assessment and intervention to Speech and Language Therapists working within designated pathways in order to maintain the required standard of clinical governance.

To provide Specialist SLT assessment and intervention for a caseload of complex cases within specialist areas which may include speech, language, communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties

Main duties of the job

• Work within a CFHD pathway of care providing support to speech and language therapists across the designated pathway/s of care (these can include but are not limited to; Speech, Language and Communication Pathway, Managing Neurodiversity Pathway, Community Childrens Nursing, Physical and Sensory Pathway and Vulnerable Childrens Pathway)
• Screen and triage referrals and ensure a strengths‑based approach to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions to support the complex packages of care for children with additional needs in the community.
• Contribute to risk assessment and care planning in collaboration with children, young people and their carers.
• Provide specialist SLT assessment, advice and interventions to children, young people and their families and to hold a caseload of children with complex needs.
• Provide case management of an identified caseload of children and young people with highly complex long‑term conditions and complex needs by utilising and promoting evidence‑based care. This includes children with complex needs including speech, language, communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties.

About Devon Partnership Trust

We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do.

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Details

Date posted 18 September 2026

Pay scheme Agenda for change

Band Band 7

Salary Depending on experience £25.26 - £28.90 per hour

Contract Bank

Working pattern Flexible working

Reference number C9369-26-0728

Job locations Wonford House, Dryden Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5AF, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification which will provide further information on this role.

Person Specification – Qualifications

• Essential – BSc or Diploma in Speech and Language
• State registration current HCPC registration
• Evidence of relevant CPD maintained in a portfolio including attendance at recent postgraduate courses relevant clinical area of expertise and/or postgraduate qualification

Desirable – Qualifications

• Post graduate leadership certificate
• MSc in relevant clinical area
• Membership of a professional

Essential – Experience

• In depth knowledge of current good practice and recent national research in relation to speech and language therapy
• In depth knowledge of child development
• Specialist knowledge and experience of a wide range of therapeutic interventions for children and young people
• Specialist knowledge of a wide range of assessment tools relevant to a broad range of needs in paediatric population
• Specialist knowledge of SEND
• Evidence of advanced training in specialist clinical area
• Experience of working as part of a professional team and multidisciplinary team
• Skilled in risk management
• Knowledge of clinical governance
• Experience of presenting complex information to staff and senior management
• Experience of implementing changes in service design and delivery both profession specific and in a multidisciplinary environment
• Understand legal responsibilities of the profession, and health and social care delivery
• Knowledge of NSFs, local government, and health policies and procedures, safeguarding adults
• Demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning skills
• Experience of managing patients with a range of complex conditions
• Experience in specialist assessment relevant to your specialist field
• Clear evidence of high level of professional skills within a specialist health or social care setting
• Experience of safeguarding vulnerable adults and/or children
• High level of knowledge of a broad range of relevant conditions and proven experience of delivering evidence-based practice
• Knowledge of the clinical guidelines, and experience of implementing these recommendations in practice
• Experience of involvement in audit
• Experienced in the use of IT to include spread sheets and word
• Proven presentation skills
• Demonstrate effective communication skills and experiences of using these with children, young people and families
• Knowledge and experience of gaining meaningful feedback from children, young people and families voices and inform meaningful change
• Experience of working in a person‑centred way which shows you can demonstrate values that are important to children, young people and families
• Knowledge and understanding of what children, young people and families feel is important to them and their lives

Desirable – Experience

• Complaints management and resolution
• Ability to write and present a business case
• Ability to analyse data
• Use of team-based working to promote change and development
• Evidence of audit and quality improvement training
• Experience of leading audit and involvement in research

Specific Skills – Essential

• Ability to organise and prioritise service and own workload
• Ability to cope working in a stressful environment and with patients and carers presenting with emotional, agitated or challenging behaviour
• To deal sensitively with patients and relatives who have high levels of distress, anxiety and challenging behaviour
• Ability to manage conflict
• To be able to demonstrate advanced speech and language therapy assessment and treatments skills
• To use excellent manual handing skills
• Ability to maintain intense concentration on and active engagement with, all aspects of children/young people and families management for prolonged periods, often in busy, noisy environments and with frequent interruptions
• Ability to deal with and process emotionally distressing information
• Ability to carry out assessments and treatments with children who may have severe physical, cognitive, behavioural and sensory impairment and poor mobility with frequent intense physical effort on a daily basis e.g. handling of heavy body parts
• The use of highly developed therapeutic handling skills, manual techniques and facilitation of movement
• Carrying equipment on a daily basis. This will involve lifting heavy and awkward shapes, including getting the equipment in/out of a car
• Ability to be mobile across Devon to complete community visits and attend meetings
• Work alone in environment assessing and managing risk
• Clinical workload involves community visits and lone working
• Ensuring the safety of less‑experienced staff in these settings
• Ability to work in a stressful environment and with emotional or aggressive patients and carers
• Imparting information concerning diagnosis and poor prognosis of physical recovery to patients and their relatives. This may involve informing patients that they may be unable to achieve their previous functional level, or challenging beliefs about perceived level of disability
• Requirement for prolonged periods of intense concentration (to analyse complex information e.g. during assessments of up to 90 minutes length - taking in depth patient history, movement analysis and teaching clinical skills)
• Deal with frequent interruptions through the day (at work or via mobile phone)
• In some circumstances the work pattern may be unpredictable and frequently interrupted e.g. responding to telephone communication from other members of medical, nursing, health and social care professionals and professional team and acute unscheduled clinical circumstances during a working day
• Demonstrate advanced clinical reasoning skills

Specific Skills – Desirable

• Use of electronic record keeping or other relevant health IT systems

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.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Address Wonford House, Dryden Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 5AF, United Kingdom

Employer's website https://www.dpt.nhs.uk/

For Questions About The Job, Contact

Speech & Language Therapist

Hannah Burton

[e-mail]

07890040550

Supporting documents

Supporting links (all open in new tabs): Mindful Employer, Careers Hub, NHS Employment Checks, A guide to DBS Checks.