Specialist Speech and Language Therapist-Developing Specialism Autism

Job overview

Band 6 – Specialist Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist:   Autism Resource Provisions and Service to Schools: Developing ASC specialism post

Paediatric Community Services- Newham, East London NHS Foundation Trust

Amazing things are happening and you could be a part of it.  Join our expanding team

Following our unprecedented investment of 20 new posts across all bandings, we are looking for a band 6 Speech therapist wanting to develop an Autism specialism to join our growing and supportive team.

Are you an experienced, innovative, creative Speech and Language Therapist? Would you like to develop in an autism specialist area and bring your skills and ideas to help us deliver change and develop new services?

We have an exciting opportunity for a Speech and Language Therapist with skills, knowledge and experience in paediatrics, to develop a specialism in autism. You will have opportunity through our autism resource provisions and special school team to develop your interest and skills in this specialist area.

Main duties of the job

Working in an autism resource provision you will gain experience in providing specialist assessments, intervention and advice for children and young people within an education setting. With support from highly specialist colleagues, you will also develop your knowledge and implementation of low and high tech AAC. You will have opportunities to work alongside other multidisciplinary colleagues, including Occupational therapists.

Within the Schools Team, the caseload is varied and includes children with social communication difficulties, developmental language disorder, dysfluency and speech sound disorders. There are opportunities within pre-school, primary and secondary settings where we work in close partnership with school staff to provide a 3 –tier model of universal, targeted and specialist support for children, young people and their families. Training and coaching for school staff and families is a crucial part of the service we deliver.

We are part of a multi-disciplinary therapies team who work to deliver a high quality service for the children of Newham and their families. Within the Child Development Service, the team work closely with multidisciplinary partners such as Dietitians, Paediatricians, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and Specialist Nurses,

The successful applicant will have relevant experience of working with children and families.  Support will be given for applicants transitioning from band 5 to band 6.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To manage a complex caseload of students within a specialist Autism resource provision or special school, supported by senior staff.
• To liaise with specialist teaching staff, classroom teachers and education support staff to provide specialist Speech and Language Therapy input to curriculum and programme planning for students with autism.
• To provide a specialist level of assessment, therapy and recommendations to a range of children and young people with speech, language and communication difficulties within the school setting.  This includes planning, implementing and evaluating therapy to early years, primary and secondary school-aged children, writing EHCP advice and reports for annual review for children with a range of speech/language/communication difficulties.
• To work jointly with more senior colleagues and other professionals to take account of the specific communication needs of these children and plan therapy accordingly
• To independently manage a large and complex caseload of children with diverse communication difficulties in mainstream schools, with a particular emphasis on liaison with staff for information and to train staff in delivering therapy suggestions.
• To co-ordinate and take a lead in the joint planning and working including, setting up therapy groups where appropriate and to support more junior colleagues through joint working.
• To liaise with relevant professional staff in Health, Education and Social Services.
• To take part in supervising staff and students