Band 5-6 Progressive Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

Due to recent additional investment, Children & Young People’s Therapies at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust is excited to be able to offer brand new Speech and Language Therapist posts to support the development and delivery of the new Experts at Hand model.

• Are you newly qualified and looking to start your first role as a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT)?
• Or an experienced Band 5 looking for a new opportunity, challenge and to develop specialist clinical skills?
• Do you have a passion for supporting children and young people with SLCN?

We want to recruit enthusiastic and highly motivated Band 5 SLTs.  All our B5 posts are progressive with a view of moving you to Band 6 after transition to full clinical autonomy.

We have posts available across Hertfordshire including Watford, St Albans, Waltham Cross, Stevenage, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead and Hertford.

*Unsuccessful candidates within the last 6 months need not apply.*

*Interview date: 28th July 2026*

Main duties of the job

As a Band 5 SLT, you will provide assessment and intervention to children and young people with a range of speech, language and communication needs.  You will work across a variety of settings, from mainstream schools/ early years settings, to community clinics.

You will work collaboratively with education staff within settings, and you also have the opportunity to work within special school settings alongside experienced therapists.  You will have opportunity to develop your clinical skills in areas such as ASD, DLD and speech disorders, and cleft palate.

We have an excellent reputation for the support we provide to new graduates and returners. We offer:

• A 2 week induction period where you will have the opportunity to observe and shadow colleagues
• Regular clinical supervision as well as contact with your manager
• Access to a range of learning opportunities e.g. bitesize tutorials and CENs, including ASD and DLD
• Regular access to a Band 5 peer support group and a buddy
• Support from the SLT Professional Development Lead
• A well-established appraisal system
• Opportunities to work alongside other therapists/assistants to deliver evidence based episodes of care
• Joint working and second opinions from clinical specialists within the service
• HCT's award winning Preceptorship programme.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see Job Description attached, which details the responsibilities within this post.

This is what one of our newly qualified SLTs has told us about working within the CYP Therapies Service:

"Joining HCT has been a great start to my SLT career. I was welcomed by the team and quickly felt like I had been part of the team a long while. I have received invaluable support that has helped me transform my knowledge from university into a clinical skill.  I value the continuous opportunity for CPD development, I feel like my knowledge is always growing.”

HCT provides integrated Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county.  Our service provides opportunities for collaborative working, joint training and shared learning amongst each profession.  We are jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings.

Successful candidates will need to be enthusiastic and motivated. Good communication, clinical reasoning and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player but be able to work autonomously and have the ability to champion the needs of your patients.

You will be joining a well-established, supportive team of therapists and assistants who can offer support if you are newly qualified, or help to develop your skills if you already have experience and developing interests.

If you have any questions at all about the posts or would like to come and visit us, please do contact us - we are only too happy to help and would love to tell you more about our service.

Applicants wanting to work full time or part time will be considered.  A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).

Word versions of documents are available if needed to allow for any adaptations to be made i.e. font, colour, background, convert to Read Aloud

The use of AI is monitored and if you have used it then you are required to declare this, as well as what type of AI tools you have used and for what purpose.  We reserve the right to further test your individual knowledge and skills in relation to the requirements for the post through robust and thorough interview and assessment.