Speech and Language Therapist

Post Outline

This is a permanent post supporting the multi-disiplinary team in the delivery of effective clinical services through assessment, intervention and ongoing support to children, young people and families accessing the service. You will contribute to the development and implementation of autism assessment and intervention pathways including diagnostic assessment, post-diagnostic recommendations, guidance, advice, and workshop programmes for children and young people, and the adults working with or caring for them such as teachers, health or social care workers and parents. You will assess, formulate and deliver interventions and evaluate clinical outcomes. You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team that includes Learning Disability Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Paediatrician, Assistant Psychologists, Clinical Assistants and charity volunteers.

About Caudwell Children

Established in 2000, Caudwell Children is a national charity which works to transform the lives of disabled children and their families, enabling them to challenge the barriers they face throughout childhood by providing practical and emotional support. The Charity is going through an exciting period of growth having recently opened a new state-of-the-art facility for multi-disciplinary therapy programmes for childhood disability and research of neurodevelopmental conditions, including autism, within the grounds of Keele University. It provides a state-of-the-art base for the Charity’s therapies and an environment where ground-breaking research can be undertaken, potentially changing the way some disabilities are treated, affecting millions of people around the world. This is a fantastic and exciting opportunity to join a dynamic and fast moving Charity at a time when it will attract national and international attention. The services of Caudwell Children enrich the lives of our children and families through the delivery of high quality person centred care and support services that promote independence and achieve valued outcomes. We seek to create a safe, homely and supportive environment that enhances the lives of children with autism and associated conditions.

Duties and responsibilities

Under the direction of the Clinical Lead you will:

• Undertake specialist assessments of communication, both informal and formal standardised assessments.
• Analyse results of assessments.
• Communicate results of assessment within the multidisciplinary team and contribute to case formulation.
• Make recommendations.
• Write reports. This will include contributing to and utilizing an agreed report writing framework, taking a lead where delegated and contributing to reports where involved in the assessment.
• Communicate results of assessment to children and families and providing feedback to families.
• Advise Family Support Assistants, as required, in follow up contact with families.
• Undertake clinical work with individuals and groups, providing advice, resources, strategies and programmes, as appropriate, using specialist skills and autism specific approaches where required.
• Mentor parents, teaching staff and other carers in skill building communication and the development of nurturing language learning environments for children with speech and language needs.

Main Duties

• Autism diagnosis, assessment, intervention and support using specialist skills.
• Development of communication training programmes and resources.
• Where appropriate and delegated, manage and supervise less experienced SaLT’s, assistants and volunteers in individual and group treatment programmes, using specialist skills.
• Contribute to the working of the multidisciplinary team and act as a specialist resource for communication issues.
• Work collaboratively and respectfully with all members of the multidisciplinary team and share information with team members in informal and formal situations.
• As part of the team engage actively in practice development, evaluation, audit and research activities to inform evidence-based practice.
• Where appropriate share information and disseminate research findings with professional colleagues in the interests of practice development.
• Provide mentorship and clinical supervision for practice education placements for students of Speech and Language Therapy when required.
• Participate in the specialist education and training of professional and clinical colleagues, students, visitors and volunteers.
• Ensure compliance and completion of Continuing Professional Development activities.
• Contribute to supporting other colleagues in their CPD, particularly in relation to communication.
• Communicate with children and families in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
• Demonstrate a high level of personal communication skills.
• Represent the profession in team meetings and working groups.
• Support the Clinical Lead to positively promote the SaLT role.
• Liaise with other departments and services within CICC.

Customer Care/Quality Assurance

• Uphold the principles and practice of customer care and continuous improvement. This includes working to engage with children and families about future programme planning and delivery where appropriate.
• At all times to afford children and families dignity and respect taking account of any special requirements associated with an individual’s race, culture or religion.
• Ensure that children and families are enabled to comment and complain about any of the services they receive and ensure that all comments and complaints received are dealt with promptly and in accordance with organisational policy and procedures.
• Confidentiality and data protection regarding all personal information and CICC activities must be maintained at all times (both in and out of working hours) in accordance with professional codes of conduct and relevant legislation such as the Data Protection Act 2018 and associated General Data Protection Regulations 2018.
•  Contribute and co-operate fully with any regulatory or organisational inspections/audits.
• To carry out duties with full regard to the organisations Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy

Health and Safety

In addition to the organisation’s overall responsibility for your health and safety, you have a personal responsibility for your own health and safety. As such you are:

• Required to inform your line manager of any safety issues that you identify that could affect you or others in the workplace, co-operate with management and colleagues at all times in achieving safer work processes and work places, particularly where it can impact on others.
• To have an awareness of health and safety regulations and legislation as it relates to the workplace and the safe and effective running of the service.
• Responsible for your own health and safety and that of anyone else whom your acts and omissions may affect and maintain a professional and hygienic personal appearance at all times.
• To have knowledge of a range of safer handling and mobility skills relevant to the management of children, young people and families.
• To use equipment when necessary and as instructed, which will include checking the equipment is safe to use, prior to its use, reporting any defects immediately to your line manager.
• Responsible for the implementation and adherence to organisational safety policies and procedures for areas within your remit.
• Required to ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessments are completed for all areas within your remit. The controls identified must be evaluated and implemented where necessary.
• To ensure that your work adheres to Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Infections and Related Guidance as applicable to your role.
• To report any concerns of potential abuse of a service user in line with the organisations Safeguarding Policy and procedures.

Resource Management

• Participate in the recruitment, induction and retention of staff as required and appropriate to the role including supporting the recruitment of other disciplines as required.
• Ensure maintenance and security of physical, financial and information resources, where applicable.
• Comprehensively and effectively maximise all the resources available to the facilities.
• Ensure that all resources and utilities are used prudently and that any waste is minimised and manage, monitor and maintain budgets agreed by management.
• Participate in the routine line management of Assistant Psychologists or others as delegated by the Clinical Lead.

General

• Ensure compliance with professional standards for Speech and Language Therapy practice.
• Adhere to HCPC regulations and RCSLT Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct for Speech and Language Therapists.
• Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional development through participation in internal and external development opportunities identified in supervision and appraisal.
• Maintain professional portfolios in line with HCPC and RCSLT requirements.
• Apply specialist knowledge and skills in order to demonstrate professional proficiency.
• Develop and maintain links with other SaLTs in specialist field of work.
• Keep up to date and integrate relevant new initiatives and recommendations from RCSLT and other relevant organisations, ensuring that practice is informed and current, where appropriate.
• Ensure that all information and matters of a confidential nature are dealt with in accordance with statutory and organisational policies and procedures and that the staff team adhere to the same.
• Take responsibility for continuing personal development in order to enhance knowledge, skills and experience needed for safe and effective practice and the achievement of agreed service outcomes and personal appraisal targets.
• Keep comprehensive records of activity in accordance with organisational IT systems and professional standards.
• Ensure all record keeping is in line with local, professional, organisational and national guidelines.
• Attend training as appropriate to the role applying knowledge gained to the workplace and maintain an up-to-date training profile.
• To engage in support and supervision sessions to reflect on practice enhancing communication and quality of service.
• To work effectively, co-operatively as a member of a team, maintaining good working relationships with colleagues and professionals from other agencies.
• At all times promote and ensure anti-discriminatory practice in all matters of staff management and service delivery in accordance with the organisation equality and diversity approaches and statutory and regulatory guidelines.
• Adhere to all Caudwell Children policies and procedures.
• When necessary work flexible hours, including evenings, weekends and bank holidays to ensure the efficient operation of the service. This Job Description indicates only the main duties and responsibilities of the post and is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

Qualifications:

• Registered with the Health and Care Professions Council
• Membership of the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists
• Speech and Language Therapy degree or equivalent qualification
• Post registration experience, ideally with specialist client group

Experience:

• Experience of working with children with autism and/or complex needs/LD
• Experience of autism specific approaches such as social stories, PECS, TEACCH, etc
• Experience of undertaking specialist assessments of communication including using a range of standardised and informal SALT assessment tools and techniques suitable for children ages 4-12 years
• Formulation and implementation of appropriate interventions/ strategies
• Production of generic and individual communication resources
• Experience of delivering training to a range of audiences
• Experience working as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Experience of working with families

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of a range of SALT interventions appropriate for use with children and young people who have ASD/complex needs
• Knowledge of ASD diagnostic criteria
• Knowledge of a range of neurodevelopmental disorders
• Familiarity with PBS values and approaches
• Understanding of evidence based practice
• Knowledge of statutory/mandatory training requirements
• Knowledge of relevant legislation, e.g. Children’s Act 2004, Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Knowledge of current safeguarding and child protection legislation and practice
• Knowledge of Information Governance standards
• Knowledge of Health & Safety legislation
• Knowledge of SEND agenda and Education Health Care Plans
• Able to use a range of standardised and informal SALT assessment tools and techniques suitable for children ages 4-12 years

Other Essential Criteria:

• Excellent team-working and communication skills
• Excellent time management and organisational skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to sensitively communicate complex information to children and families and manage emotions appropriately
• Ability to work under pressure
• An openness and willingness to learn new skills and to put these into practice
• A personal commitment to the organisation’s values and principles
• A commitment to the principles and practice of continual improvement and the provision of personalised services
• A commitment to uphold the rights of children, vulnerable and disabled people
• A commitment to equality and diversity
• A positive can-do attitude
• Ability to demonstrate a flexible approach to work
• Able to meet the physical requirements of the role after reasonable adjustments have been made for illness or disability
• Undertake personal and professional development in order to meet the changing demands of the job
• Able to travel to meet the needs of the post

Desirable Criteria:

• Postgraduate training or CPD in the area of Autism
• Experience of working with children with sensory differences
• Training and experience working with children with challenging behaviours
• Experience of working with volunteers
• Experience of working with children who use AAC

Disclosure & barring service checks

The Charity is committed to safeguarding children and young people and therefore adopts a safer recruitment approach through a robust recruitment and selection process. All posts within the Charity are subject to DBS checks, in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). This role is eligible for an Enhanced with barred lists DBS check. 

Up to £35,000

Permanent, full-time (37.5 hours per week)

Job description and full specification:

Download full job description and specification here.

Equal opportunities

Caudwell Children is a Disability Confident employer committed to offering an interview to all applicants who meet the minimum criteria and declare they have a disability. We are committed to creating a diverse environment and will not discriminate for any reason against any person because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background and other underrepresented groups.