Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview

We are looking for a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist to join our Special School team, where the post-holder would be based in Warwickshire's generic special schools spending along with other SLT colleagues and members of the multi-disciplinary team. Being qualified to or working towards holding a dysphagia caseload is desirable.

Location in Warwickshire to be arranged on appointment - there is some flexibility.

The post-holder should have enthusiasm for and experience of working with children with Speech, Language, and Communication needs, including those with an associated learning difficulty and/or other diagnoses. This post gives opportunity to develop leadership as well as clinical skills.

The post holder will be part of a supportive team including a lead SLT for the designated school. Access to supervision and CPD is provided.

Main duties of the job

To independently assess and manage the speech, language and communication needs of children attending special schools in Warwickshire.

To deliver training to parents, school staff and other professionals.

Exercise full responsibility and autonomy for a highly complex caseload of children with special needs aged 4–19 years attending special schools with a wide range of speech language and communication disorders and/or Dysphagia needs, seeking support from the lead clinician for the special school as needed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Responsibilities

Facilitate communication so that the needs of the child and family are central to the clinical process.

Play a pivotal role in ensuring effective joint working for children with communication difficulties and their families.

Prioritise own caseload and manage own complex workload effectively and efficiently.

Use specialist knowledge to assess, analyse and diagnose speech, language, communication disorders in children with highly complex learning and medical conditions and syndromes using specialist knowledge to select appropriate formal and informal assessments including standardised psychometric tests and skilled observation. This requires a high level of concentration and analytical skills.

Use specialist knowledge to assess, analyse and diagnose dysphagia needs seeking supervision as determined by the clinician’s established dysphagia competency level.

Formulate a differential diagnosis and a detailed individual management plan based upon analysis of assessment finding, case history, medical knowledge of conditions and syndromes and environmental factors, taking into account research evidence and best practise.

Independently formulate detailed patient management plans according to individual need, using assessment findings and case histories, and involving careful negotiation with carers, clients and other professionals.

Negotiate with parents/carers, education staff and other professionals to agree appropriate Outcomes and management for the individual which may include any combination of the following.

Therapeutic intervention with children either individually or in groups.

Groups run jointly with teachers and teaching assistants (TA’s) or other professionals

Programmes jointly planned and implemented with Teaching staff, or other professionals.

Directing and supporting others in carrying out individual programmes e.g. parents, TA’s, Speech and Language Therapy Assistants.

Providing advice on curriculum differentiation through Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and regular liaison with Teachers.

Providing advice on specific strategies to employ in the home, preschool setting or classroom.

Advising referral to other professionals where indicated.

Evaluate and make decisions about therapy options taking into account the child and family’s aspirations, learning style and curriculum requirements.

Formulate a detailed individual management plan based upon relevant research and best practice.

Recognise potential conflict or breakdown in the above process and use negotiation and problem solving skills to reach agreement.

Manage the behaviour of children with complex needs and motivate them to achieve positive therapy outcomes, including children who are challenging or have severe/complex difficulties.

Provide expertise and advice to enable others to facilitate the effective and appropriate provision of care of individual children.

Communicate complex and specialist information to others by way of written reports, programmes and face to face discussions, adapting own communication style and content to the needs of the situation.

Liaise with other professionals and teams in a consultative capacity in relation to management of individual children and attend and contribute to meetings involving parents and other professionals e.g. case conferences.

Use specialist knowledge of communication disorders and to recognise and manage emotional needs of client/carer when imparting distressing information.

Contribute Assessment advice and reviews of Education, Health & Care Plans as required by the Children and Families Act 2014 and SEND Code of Practice 2014.

Form productive relationships with families, recognising the need for and ensuring sensitivity and care.

Communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning assessment findings and provision of care for children.

Be a resource to other Speech & Language Therapists, for information about children with Learning Difficulties (LD) and/or Cerebral Palsy (CP) with respect to communication.

Negotiate with parents/carers, education staff, other professionals and the lead clinician for the school to agree additional appropriate specialist management for the individual.

Attend Special Schools’ parents evenings.

Professional

Maintain clinical and non-clinical standards and work within the policy frameworks laid down e.g. NHS, Trust, Professional, Department, Health Professionals Council, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, relevant government policies e.g. National Schools Framework (NSF).

Maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local Trust policies.

Continuously develop clinical expertise and achieve goals set for personal and professional development.

Demonstrate ability to reflect on own practice and identify strengths and development needs.

Be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate.

Participate in clinical supervision in line with Department and Trust policy, including the clinical supervision of others through peer review.

Participate in the identification of individual training needs and training needs within the team.

Undertake relevant training and continuing professional development (CPD) in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of SLT working in Special School Speech and Language Therapy Team, and at the CDC to meet RCSLT and HPC standards.

Be flexible to the demands of the environment including unpredictable work patterns, deadlines, frequent interruptions and competing pressures.

Deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible.

Attend regional Specialist Interest Groups (SIGs) of Dysphagia, AAC & Special Needs where possible.

Ensure that clinical competence is maintained at all times through continued professional development. This involves internal and external training and supervision with senior members of the team.

Working Relationships

Supervise and support speech and language therapy assistants in undertaking programmes of work.

Work under the guidance of the School Lead Therapist and with other members of the Special Schools team and members of other teams, to achieve seamless and co-ordinated service provision.

Support junior speech and language therapy colleagues, undergraduate speech and language therapists and assistants as part of their training, professional development and emotional support.

Work collaboratively with a range of multi-disciplinary and multi-agency professionals to provide high quality SLT services for children with speech, language, communication and eating and drinking difficulties.

Teaching/Training/Support For Others

Contribute to the development and provision of training packages and information materials for parents, education staff, Early Years Professionals and other Professionals.

Train school staff and Early Years staff in communication and AAC approaches and other specialist approaches and techniques for Learning Disabilities (LD), Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) and Cerebral Palsy(CP) caseloads.

Provide training in Dysphagia, in conjunction with the Dysphagia Specialist SLT, for education and welfare staff in accordance with the dysphagia protocol.

Provide professional and clinical teaching for SLT students.

Act as a mentor for newly qualified SLTs as required.

Promote the role of SLTs and the importance of communication to visitors, students and volunteers.

Assist and support the training of other professional groups as appropriate.

Provide observation sessions for prospective SLT students.

Service Evaluation and Research

Contribute to the development, evaluation and monitoring of the Special Schools Team’s, Children’s services and department’s operational policies, including caseload prioritising decisions and care pathways.

Utilise theory, evidence-based literature and research to support evidence-based practice.

Provide statistical information on own caseload, including activity and clinical effectiveness measures.

Participate in clinical governance and audit activities in the team and the wider speech and language therapy service and within multidisciplinary teams.

Participate in research in SLT team, SLT department or multidisciplinary teams if required.

Participate in developing innovations in clinical intervention and quality standards setting in this specialist area.

Contribute to the development of relevant policies within the special schools.

Monitor service delivery needs and collaborate with the head of service in implementing these.

Organisational

Be aware of and adhere to multi-disciplinary/multi-agency strategic planning and policy e.g. child protection, SEN(Special Educational Needs) code of practice.

Contribute to SLT Department strategic planning and implement department policies, strategy and guidelines.

Advise managers on any aspects of service organisation that needs addressing.

Maintain highest standards of clinical record keeping, including up to date and accurate case notes, electronic data entry, recording and report writing in line with professional and PCT guidelines.

Identify resources needed to maintain up to date service.

Be responsible for the security, care and transporting of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained – including equipment loaned to clients.

For full details of the main responsibilities associated with this role please see the attached Job Description.

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.