Job overview
Working Part time: 22.5 hours per week
Please note this role is based at Kingsway Children's Centre.
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, highly motivated and dynamic Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapists to take on a specialist role within our Autism Team.
The post holder will be required to undertake Autism assessments for children and young people. The Autism team works within the multi-agency school aged Autism pathway in West Cheshire.
Main duties of the job
As a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) you will be responsible for the provision of a qualified SALT Autism assessment service for preschool and primary school aged children referred to the Community Paediatric team and the preschool ASD Pathway multiagency assessment service at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
The team offers a dedicated service for children and young people referred with Neurodevelopmental difficulties in line with NICE guidance and NHS England standards; delivering timely assessment and evidence-based treatments. You will contribute and commit to promoting a positive team-based attitude, striving for the highest standards of care and achieving excellence in order to deliver effective ASD services in an integrated model with key partner agencies.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer ‘YES’ to the question: ‘Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?’
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent understanding of core Speech and Language Therapy skills and current best practice in Speech and Language Therapy and paediatric ASD services.
- Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Experience of or training in developmental assessments
Qualifications
Essential
- HCPC Registration
- Post graduate training and experience in the specialty i.e. Experience of working with children presenting with Speech Language and Communication needs as part of their autistic spectrum disorder or social communication disorder
Desirable
- Training in autism diagnostic tools (ADOS or other play based assessments)
WhatsApp job alerts
Get instant WhatsApp alerts for Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist roles in Chester
Create your Job Clerk account first. We'll collect your alert preferences during onboarding and help you turn on WhatsApp notifications for matching healthcare roles.
Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Chester, North West, England. It is listed as a Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist role. The advertised salary is £49,387 - £56,515 pa pro rata. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 19 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (09 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
For more context, review related Job Clerk pages for the same profession, band or location where they exist, then use the application-support guides to tailor your statement and prepare for interview.