Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

We are offering an exciting opportunity for a highly specialist Speech & Language Therapist to join Camden MOSAIC, providing specialist support for children and young people aged 0–18 years with complex developmental, communication, feeding and swallowing needs. This varied role spans the Child Development Team, Feeding Clinic and Whittington Dysphagia Outreach Service.

The successful candidate will hold a specialist caseload of children and young people with autism, intellectual disability, physical disabilities, feeding difficulties and dysphagia. The role involves delivering assessment, diagnosis, intervention and consultation, alongside coordinating the Feeding Clinic and Dysphagia Services.

Working within a well-established multidisciplinary team, the post holder will collaborate with paediatricians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, education professionals and partner agencies. They will support children, families and professionals to develop effective communication and safe eating, drinking and swallowing skills across home, education and community settings.

The role also includes delivering training, supervising junior therapists and students, contributing to service development and deputising for the Clinical Coordinator for SLT in Camden MOSAIC as required. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced clinician seeking a rewarding specialist role within a supportive and dynamic team.

Main duties of the job

Camden MOSAIC and the Whittington Dysphagia Outreach Service are dynamic and innovative multidisciplinary teams working with infants, children and young people aged 0–18 years with complex developmental, communication, feeding and swallowing needs. We provide:

• Specialist assessment and intervention for children with social communication difficulties, autism and intellectual disabilities. • Multidisciplinary assessment and management of children with complex sensory feeding difficulties, including Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID). • High-quality, evidence-based assessment, therapy and consultation using a child- and family-centred approach. • Specialist assessment, management and review of infants and children with dysphagia (eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties) in clinic, home and education settings. • Training, advice and support for parents, nurseries, schools and other professionals to help meet children's communication, feeding and swallowing needs. • Close multidisciplinary working with families, education settings and health professionals to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To carry a personal caseload and/or contribute to MDT therapy package such as group therapy sessions or parent education sessions, maintaining a high level of professional competence and demonstrating highly specialist clinical expertise in the assessment, treatment and management of speech, language and communication problems associated with complex needs.
• To work as part of MDT to complete assessment of social communication needs via Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) and/or Autism Diagnostic Interview (ADI) and have good understanding of current diagnostic framework for a range of complex needs (DSM-5 criteria)
• To monitor and review the progress of children on the caseload and facilitate the development or modification of packages of care/targets as appropriate using evaluation/outcome measurement tools.
• To work effectively as part of the MDT with clients, carers, and colleagues around individual case management, providing specialist advice, guidance and support as necessary and involving them in the planning and prioritisation of care wherever possible.
• To reflect on clinical practice; adequately identifying strengths & needs of clients, reviewing their response to therapy and providing evidence of expert clinical judgement including in cases which are complex and challenging.
• To have completed addition training around the needs of children with dysphagia and to have at least one year experience of assessment/treatment of children with eating and drinking difficulties in order to communicate and deliver a highly effective service to children with complex needs.
• To be able to analyse conflicting information and provide clear guidance and detailed reports on children seen.
• To promote awareness about speech and language therapy in Camden.
• To facilitate and support nursery/schools and families in providing appropriate communication environments to develop children’s language and interaction skills.
• To take a clinical lead as required within the team
• To demonstrate highly specialist knowledge and clinical effectiveness underpinned by current evidence-based practice and outcome measures.
• To make appropriate diagnoses and highly specialist clinical decisions on evidence from assessment of complex cases, including differential diagnoses.
• To work closely with clients, carers and families, with empathy, tact, reassurance and active listening to fully discuss assessment results, treatment options, and agree a plan of management.
• To communicate complex information to carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where barriers to understanding exist.
• To maintain sensitivity at all times to the emotional needs of children with special and complex needs and their carers, in particular when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the client’s difficulties and implications of the same.
• To undertake home visits, as necessary, in compliance with Home Visiting/ Lone Working Safety Policy.
• To contribute to clinical teams by discussing own and others input, ensuring a well-co-ordinated care plan that reflects the holistic needs of the child and their parents/carers.
• To discuss diagnosis and potential outcomes with parents/carers and work collaboratively in decision making regarding referral on and intervention
• To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible
• To demonstrate excellent communication skills.
• To demonstrate skills in motivating clients and /or carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
• To employ counselling skills with children, carers/families with highly complex needs.
• To liaise regularly with Senior Management within the service and with the MDT team to agree and review effective service delivery to children and young people with complex needs.
• To be aware of legal requirements relating to the provision of a speech and language therapy service.
• To maintain up to date and accurate case notes and write reports reflecting highly specialist knowledge, ensuring that they meet departmental standards and are in line with local Trust Policy, and RCSLT professional standards.
• To demonstrate knowledge of current policies and practice in the education and health sector and incorporate these into the model of working as appropriate.
• To attend further training as necessary to maintain and further develop the skill and knowledge required of a highly specialist SLT.
• To keep up to date with current clinical developments through reading, attendance at courses, meetings and Clinical Excellence Networks (CENs).
• To provide training to SLTs developing a specialism in Complex Needs and those working with some children with special needs on their caseload.
• To manage and prioritise a specialist caseload independently, advising line manager on issues of service delivery including shortfall, service pressures etc.
• To contribute to multi-agency assessment procedures as required, including statutory educational assessment.
• To demonstrate good negotiation skills across a range of issues and situations, recognising and resolving potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs.
• To ensure that children are referred to other services as appropriate.
• To demonstrate comprehensive understanding of the issues associated with clinical governance and their application to professional practice.  This will include compliance with / adherence to, and implementation of service and service area and Trust policies, National and Local guidelines and RCSLT Professional and Clinical and Guidelines.
• To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including Safeguarding Children, SEN procedures, Working with Vulnerable Adults and other legal frameworks.
• To contribute to the local Trust’s systems of clinical governance, developing innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness in collaboration with others.
• To be accountable for professional action and recognising professional boundaries and working within defined departmental and national protocols/policies and professional code of conduct.
• To work independently accessing appraisal within a Professional Development Plan (PDP) at pre-determined intervals.
• To have due regard for personal safety and that of children /carers, adhering to moving and handling regulations, restraining policies and ensure the safe positioning of self and others.
• To reflect and adhere to infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal with specific issues related to client contact: for example, exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions, encountered on a daily basis.
• To provide advice and second opinions to non-specialists and other specialists/ professionals within clinical field, regarding the management and care of children with complex needs.
• To provide clinical supervision and support and advice to less experienced speech and language therapists, and to assistants and volunteers.
• To provide leadership within appropriate specialist area(s).
• To assume delegated tasks as requested by line manager, including participation in working groups, policy development groups related to clinical specialism.
• To carry out administrative duties including activity data collection, updating this accurately and regularly, ensuring the provision of such information promptly within local Trust guidelines.
• To maintain up to date records of annual leave and other absence.
• To participate in the clinical education of students, undertaking assessment of the placement as appropriate, and attending teaching sessions and meetings organised by the education establishments.
• To initiate and undertake Research/Clinical Governance /audit projects within area of expertise.
• To be able to be flexible within the service for Whittington Children’s Speech and Language Service and as required by the Speech and Language Therapy Services Manager, this may include a change in workplace.

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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.