Speech and Language Therapy Assistant

Oxleas; Erith; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a therapy support assistant to work with children in the London Borough of Bexley. You will assist Speech and Language Therapists by delivering 1:1 and small-group interventions in mainstream and special schools, and by preparing therapy resources and spaces.

You will support families, maintain records, and contribute to programme planning while developing your skills in evidence-based SLT approaches in a busy school/health setting.

Qualifications

• 5 GCSEs A-C including Maths and English or equivalent qualifications.
• Courses/Workshops in working with young children who have speech, language, communication difficulties including social communication/ASD.

Responsibilities

• Implement individual and group interventions as recommended, adapting as needed.
• Record activity within sessions in case notes, written and electronic.
• Provide advice to others regarding intervention plans.
• Contribute to reports and programme planning.
• Adapt practice to meet individual child and education circumstances.
• Ensure parents/families views are communicated to the therapist/education colleagues.
• Participate in intensive therapy courses.
• Contribute to development and delivery of face to face/virtual training and therapy approaches.

Skills

Fluent English

IT skills

Prioritisation

Verbal and written comms

Education

5 GCSEs including Maths & English

Courses/Workshops in SLT with young children (ASD)

Job description

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

• To provide support and assistance to therapists working with children in the London Borough of Bexley referred to the mainstream schools (JCT) and/or Special School SLT team
• To carry out specific therapy and communication development programmes with children and young people on a 1:1 basis and in small groups at mainstream and/or special schools
• To carry out specialised techniques and procedures under the direction of a Speech and Language Therapist
• To set up and deliver face to face/virtual therapy support and training packages working with the Speech and Language Therapist
• To support parents/carers to enable children to fulfil their developmental potential.
• To assist with administration duties as required by the school and service including electronic case records, paper records, typing reports, therapy programmes, preparing and making therapy resources, photocopying, sending appointments, filing and data collection.
• To prepare and clear therapy spaces as required.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Main duties of the job

• To implement individual and group interventions as recommended by the Speech and Language Therapists, making modifications using own initiative as necessary to suit child’s needs and environment.
• To decide on appropriate activities to meet the aims of individual or group interventions. To modify and use supports as necessary for the child or group.
• To record activity within sessions in case notes, written and electronic.
• To provide advice to others regarding the intervention plan of children within your boundaries of competence.
• To contribute to discussion about the effectiveness of provision by using outcome measures.
• To contribute to reports and programme planning taking into account child strengths and needs.
• To adapt practice to meet individual child and education circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences and mode of communication including signs and symbols.
• To ensure that child and/or their families views are communicated to the therapist/education colleagues for consideration in future management plans.
• To participate in intensive therapy courses as required.
• To contribute to development and delivery of face to face/virtual training and therapy approaches as appropriate.

Working for our organisation

Oxleas offers a wide range of NHS healthcare services to people in community and secure environment settings. Our services include community health care such as district nursing and speech and language therapy, care for people with learning disabilities and mental health care such as psychiatry, nursing and therapies. Our multidisciplinary teams look after people of all ages and we work in close partnership with other parts of the NHS, local councils and the voluntary sector and through our new provider collaboratives. Our 4,300 members of staff work in many different settings including hospitals, clinics, prisons, secure hospitals, children’s centres, schools and people’s homes. We have over 125 sites in a variety of locations in the South of England. In London we operate within the Boroughs of Bexley, Bromley Greenwich and into Kent. We manage hospital sites including Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup and Memorial Hospital, Woolwich, as well as the Bracton Centre, our medium secure unit for people with mental health needs. We are the largest NHS provider of prison health services providing healthcare to prisons within Devon, Dorset, Bristol, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire, Kent and South London. We are proud of the care we provide and our people.

Our purpose is to improve lives by providing the best possible care to our patients and their families. This is strengthened by our new values:

• We Listen
• We Care

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the uploaded job description and person specification for further detailed information about this role.

Important Sponsorship Information for this post: We are unable to offer a certificate of sponsorship for this post.

Person specification

Education / Qualifications

• 5 GCSEs A-C including Maths and English or equivalent qualifications
• Courses/Workshops in working with young children who have speech, language, communication difficulties including social communication/ASD.

Experience

• Relevant experience of working with children aged 0 to 18 years and their families (may not have worked over entire age range). within the last 5 years
• Experience of working with children with a range of communication and/or developmental difficulties
• Committed to professional development
• States interventions that they have used in practice
• Has experience working in schools

Skills / Abilities / Knowledge

• Fluent spoken and written skills in English
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Able to prioritise and plan delegated work from a variety of sources, meet deadlines and perform effectively under pressure
• Able to use IT independently including email, electronic case notes, word documents, excel documents, other digital equipment and specific computer software

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that welcomes and supports individuals of all abilities. Remember, if you meet the minimum criteria for this role and you have a disability, you can be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme - Please ensure you select this on your application form. We would encourage you to be open about your needs so we can work with you to design a comfortable and accessible interview experience. Any information you provide regarding a disability or a need for adjustments will be treated in confidence and will only be shared with colleagues who are supporting this request.

If you require any adjustments to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know by adding the relevant details when scheduling your preferred interview date and time. Please feel free to contact the appointing manager to discuss your needs.

We encourage applicants to contact the hiring manager before their interview, if they have any questions about the role or the process. This is a great way to get clarity and prepare effectively for the interview.

If you have declared you are part of the armed forces community, you may be asked to provide evidence during the recruitment process. If you misrepresent this information, your offer may be withdrawn. For Armed Forces specific support, see our webpage: https://oxleas.nhs.uk/armed-forces-community/

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

If you choose to use AI or other tools to assist in writing your application, it's essential to personalise this information, particularly your supporting information section. While AI can help streamline the writing process, these tools cannot fully grasp the context or requirements of the job you’re applying for. There is also a risk that it can generate false or misleading information. AI-generated job applications can often be generic, impersonal and may not accurately reflect your qualifications, knowledge, skills, and experiences. It is crucial that you personalise your supporting statement by articulating these in your unique voice. Relying solely on AI to write your application or supporting information section is not advocated by Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and could negatively impact your chances of success in the application process.

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.Please note that the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is prohibited during the interview process.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high volume of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.