Speech and Language Therapist- Complex Needs

NHS; Reading; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS is seeking a qualified Speech and Language Therapist to support children with complex needs in special schools across Wokingham, Reading, and West Berkshire. This full-time, permanent role offers an opportunity to advance clinical skills within a dynamic therapy team while engaging in service development and training staff.

Benefits

Flexible working options

27 days' annual leave

Excellent learning and career development

'Cycle to Work' scheme

Access to wellbeing tools and services

Discounts at retailers

Inclusive working environment

Free parking across Trust site

Qualifications

• More than 2 years post qualification experience required.
• Must be a qualified Speech and Language Therapist registered with HCPC.
• Experience working with children with complex needs or in special schools.

Responsibilities

• Managing own caseload and interventions for children.
• Delivering speech and language therapy in special schools and resource bases.
• Training education staff or parents on relevant practices.

Skills

Communication

Leadership

Knowledge of SEND processes

Patient engagement

Education

HCPC Registered

Postgraduate education relevant to clinical role

Job description

Speech and Language Therapist- Complex Needs

Interviews are due to be held on 28th July 2025.

This permanent band 6 post is an ideal opportunity to progress your clinical skills and professional career within a supportive and dynamic integrated therapy team in our Children, Young People and Families (CYPF) division. The post is full-time (37.5 hours per week, Monday-Friday) and is a permanent post based in Reading but working in Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire.

The successful applicant will deliver a speech and language therapy service in special schools and resource bases across Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire.

Our CYPIT service supports children and young people from birth to 19 years of age across Berkshire. We are an integrated therapy service, offering easy access to services and web-based advice via an on-line resource. We are establishing integrated approaches to the care that we offer families and the successful candidate would be able to take an active part in ongoing service developments.

Our teams are enthusiastic, flexible and forward-thinking, embracing the use of social media to engage with our service users and exploring digital solutions to make us more accessible to children and their families.

Main duties of the job

• We currently have an opportunity for an experienced Speech and Language Therapist to join our team in a full-time band 6 post within our School Years team. This permanent post will involve working within established multi-disciplinary teams within special schools and resource bases in Wokingham, Reading and West Berkshire. We welcome applications from Speech and Language Therapists with experience of working with children with complex needs or in special schools and who have experience of working in mainstream schools and an understanding of SEND processes. Working knowledge of the assessment process for EHCPs would be extremely helpful but is not essential. We are seeking staff, who are passionate about working with children and young people and keen to further develop their clinical and leadership skills.
• In this role as a Band 6 Children's Speech and Language Therapist, you will be responsible for the planning and management of your own caseload and interventions, working collaboratively with education staff to meet the needs of children who access the special schools and resource bases.
• This role will also involve the delivery of training to education staff or parents.
• In this band 6 role, you will actively participate in clinical supervision and the appraisal process as well as providing support to less experienced and more junior staff, including caseload management and clinical decision-making.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust site

Job responsibilities

The "must haves" for this role:

1. Qualified Speech and Language Therapist, registered with HCPC.

2. More than 2 years post qualification experience.

3. Car driver with ability and readiness to travel to multiple sites

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to call: Caroline Pethick on 07795617511 or email: [e-mail] who will be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/ Training

• HCPC Registered

Continuous Professional Development

• Completion of post graduate education or training relevant to clinical role or post

Previous Experience

• Evidence of experience in clinical work in children's services to a level of in depth knowledge and expertise
• Contribution to clinical supervisory or mentoring less experienced staff, students or assistants
• Evidence of leadership e.g. staff management, leading a project, change in practice
• Experience of staff management
• Evidence of working with children with complex needs
• Evidence of experience working with children with dysphagia

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• High level of knowledge of service provision within children's therapy services
• Ability to pass on skills/knowledge to others within both formal and informal environments
• Awareness of community working and structures
• Basic computer literacy
• Understanding of data in performance monitoring and delivery of services
• Efficient, effective and diplomatic communication skills both written and verbal

Additional Requirements

• Car Driver with ability to travel to multiple sites

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.

£39,205 to £47,084 a yearper annum (Incl. of HCAS)