Overview and Responsibilities
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist – Aurora Meldreth & Orchard Manor
Position: Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Location: Meldreth, Cambridgeshire/Hertfordshire border
Salary: £48,110.40 - £54,766.40 per annum, depending on skills and experience - effective from 1st January 2025Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week, 52 weeks a year
Aurora Meldreth Manor School is an independent Special day school which provides a highly specialist learning environment for students aged 6 to 19 who have a range of MLD and SLD needs including autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and associated difficulties, who require an individualised, specialist approach. Many of our students have complex medical needs and sensory/ physical impairments. Our students are supported to manage sensory overload, anxiety, low self-esteem, low confidence, and difficulty with transitions which is often demonstrative through their behaviours. The main purpose of the role:
The role is a challenging, but exciting one. It will require you to be versatile in your approach to providing individualised communication and dysphagia support to our specialist population. The post will combine clinical, administrative and supervisory duties. You will work as part of an interdisciplinary team under the supervision of senior leadership but will be expected to autonomously manage your caseload including assessment, direct and indirect therapy programmes and line managing a speech and language therapy assistant.
The post holder will provide speech and language therapy services prioritising needs identified by the assessment process as stated in the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or via our MDT assessments of need.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
Manage and prioritise a caseload including communication and dysphagia needs
Carry out comprehensive communication, swallowing, eating and drinking assessmentsProvide individual aims for communication and eating and drinking as part of the MDT for Individual Education Plans
Provide individual programmes for communication, assistive technology, swallowing and feeding
Deliver speech and language interventions to individuals, small groups or within the classroom as requiredWork with staff and family members to ensure consistent, joined up communication support
Attend and contribute to reviews, providing written reports where required
Make onward referrals for specialist assessment or advice in respect of AAC or dysphagia Skills and Qualifications
Skills and Qualifications:
Speech and Language Therapy degree at graduate or masters level
Certificate to practise Speech and Language Therapy
Registered member of RCSLT and HCPC
Post-graduate dysphagia training
Competencies at Level C of RCSLT Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Competency Framework (EDSCF)
Requirement to undertake relevant learning, continued professional development and clinical supervision as required by RCSLT and HCPC
Willingness to maintain clinical links with relevant clinical groups to develop specialist expertise and knowledge relating to the role (such as dysphagia and AAC groups)
Knowledge:
Person-centred approaches to support
Legislation relating to consent and restrictive practice within the Mental Capacity Act
Positive behaviour support planning and interventions
AAC systems and approaches
IDDSI, dysphagia interventions and feeding issues relating to this caseload
Experience:
Working with children and young people with SEND, PMLD and ASD
Working with children and young people with complex communication, swallowing and feeding needs
Working with hi and lo-tech AAC systems
Delivering provision through EHCP process
Working in early years, school, college or residential settings
Working with a dysphagia caseload
Working within a multi-disciplinary team
Benefits and Additional Information
What’s on offer:
Opportunities for meaningful career development
Fully funded training and qualifications
Life assurance
Enhanced pension scheme Perk Box- offering high street discounts
Employee assistance programme
Bike to work scheme
Car lease scheme
Apply/Enquiries:
If you are interested in this role, please apply on-line and complete our application form. Successful applicants will be subject to pre-employment safeguarding checks including an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.
The post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Aurora Group is therefore permitted to ask job applicants to declare all convictions and cautions (including those which are "spent" unless they are "protected" under the DBS filtering rules) in order to assess their suitability to work with children.
The Aurora Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children and young adults in our care and is a disability confident and equal opportunities employer
This advert could be taken down at any point in time without prior notice if the position is filled.
Please note that candidates that are shortlisted might be subject to an online search.