Speech and Language Therapy Assistant

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board; Conwy; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 29,000; Full time

Job summary

BCUHB North Wales invites applications for a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant to support the Central Paediatric Dysphagia team in Conwy and Denbighshire, and neonatal services across the health board. You will work under the supervision of a qualified SLT to gather information, observe feeding, educate families and help implement home programmes.

You will contribute to patient care in diverse settings, travel between sites, and participate in ongoing supervision and professional development

Qualifications

• Experience supporting children or adults with dysphagia or feeding challenges.
• Solid understanding of early eating, drinking, and swallowing development.
• Evidence of relevant clinical training and therapy environment experience.

Responsibilities

• Gather information from families and professionals for clinical documentation.
• Independently perform protocol-driven feeding observations across locations.
• Support parent/carer education and home programmes.
• Carry out operational and clinical administrative tasks.

Skills

Excellent communication

Teamwork

Dysphagia experience

Leadership

Travel between sites

Planning and organisation

Time management

Supervision and feedback

Reflective practitioner

Education

NVQ Health & Social Care Level 3

Job description

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of babies, children, and their families? We have an incredible opportunity for an enthusiastic Speech and Language Therapy Assistant to join our dynamic Central Paediatric Dysphagia team in Conwy and Denbighshire, as well as supporting vital Neonatal services right across BCU., In this rewarding role, you will work independently but under the expert guidance of a qualified Speech and Language Therapist. You will be a vital support link in the triage, assessment, and follow-up care for children referred to our community paediatric dysphagia services. You will also support babies who have spent time on neonatal or special care baby units, helping them and their families navigate early eating, drinking, and swallowing (EDS) challenges. Your day-to-day work will be varied and impactful, involving:

• Gathering information from families and professionals directly and indirectly for the purpose of contributing to clinical documentation.
• Independently complete protocol driven feeding observations in a range of locations.
• Supporting Parent/carer education.
• Supporting families to implement specific home programmes supported by SLT.
• Completing operational tasks as required.
• Completing clinical administrative tasks.

You will carry out this work in close consultation with, and under the supervision of, our dedicated Paediatric Dysphagia and Neonatal Unit Speech and Language Therapy teams.

The Successful Candidate Will Have

We want to hear from motivated individuals with a genuine interest and background in supporting children and adults with dysphagia and vulnerable babies who need a helping hand with their early feeding journeys. Excellent communication is at the heart of what we do, so your ability to connect with families, professionals, and diverse teams is essential., The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

• Excellent communication skills: The ability to listen, connect, and explain things clearly to families and professionals alike.
• Brilliant teamwork: A natural ability to build strong rapport and collaborate effectively across both educational and medical settings.
• Relevant experience: It is desirable that you have experience working with children or adults who have dysphagia or specific eating, drinking, and swallowing needs.
• Core knowledge: A solid understanding of the various factors that impact the development of early eating, drinking, and swallowing skills., Quality Credit Framework qualification at level 3 e.g. NVQ related to Health & Social Care
• Proven experience of working in relevant clinical specialty at diploma equivalent level
• Documented evidence of participation in relevant clinical training activities, Relevant experience of working within a Therapy environment
• Sound understanding of the role of Speech & Language Therapy
• Sound understanding of child speech/language development and/or the concept of rehabilitation/recovery as appropriate to the clinical area
• Basic knowledge of main conditions relevant to area of speciality and the effects of illness on function, Experience working in a related health/social care or education setting
• Working in a leadership role, Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to travel across sites to work and to carry out clinical tasks
• Awareness of team dynamics and work effectively as part of a team
• Planning and organisational skills
• Physical & emotional stamina to deal with sensitive and difficult situations, Ability to maintain and record specific items of stock, Ability to work flexibly according to the needs of the service and prioritise workload appropriately
• Good time management
• Proven ability to accept instruction, report back to supervisor, work within guidelines and respond appropriately to feedback
• Willingness and ability to fully engage in supervision and feedback opportunities to ensure learning accountability and support. Ability to be a reflective practitioner

If you relish a challenge, have a passion to help others or simply fancy a fresh start, then Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) North Wales, has all the right ingredients. The largest health organisation in Wales, providing a full range of primary, community, mental health, acute and elective hospital services for a population of around 700,000, across North Wales . Join our team and get the support you need, in line with our Organisational Values and 'Proud to Lead' competence framework.

Enjoy being part of working with engaged leadership at all levels, and be assured we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and are proud to welcome applicants under the "Disability Confident Employer" scheme. Please check your email account regularly. Successful applicants will receive all recruitment related correspondence via the email account registered on the application form. Applications may be submitted in Welsh. Applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.