Job summary
We are looking for an experienced Band6 Speech and Language Therapist (SaLT) to work with the SaLT team at DysartSchool and within the Neurodevelopmental service based at Hollyfield Road,Surbiton. This is a fantastic role across the 2 services ( wte in eachrole) where there is an overlap for someservice users transitioning from one service to the other.
Dysart is a special school for children andyoung people 4-19 years with severe learning difficulties mainly with Autismspectrum conditions (ASC). The Neurodevelopmental service supports thecommunication needs of adults (18 years onwards) with learning disabilities inRichmond and Kingston. Both services support those with eating drinking andswallowing needs.
You will be working as part of anestablished SaLT team at Dysart supported by the Band 7 SLT. Relationships andprogrammes of therapy are well established and the SaLT team are highly valuedmembers of the school team.
You will be an integral part of themultidisciplinary Neurodevelopmental service providing specialist input andcontributing to the clinical pathways and protocols. In both roles you will have opportunity to contribute to thedevelopment of new and innovative ways of working and further develop yourclinical skills.
Main duties of the job
To provide a Speech & Language Therapy (SALT) Service within Dysart School, for children and young people, aged 4-19 years, who have severe learning difficulties (SLD), the majority of whom have an autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and associated communication impairments. Some children may also have physical disabilities, challenging behaviour and/or sensory needs and/or eating, drinking and swallowing needs (EDS).
The post holder will also provide a specialist speech and language therapy service within the Neurodevelopmental service based at Hollyfield Road Surbiton covering adults (18 year onwards) with learning disabilities living in both Richmond and Kingston boroughs. They will act as a source of expertise and training in specialist speech and language interventions for people with learning disabilities (communication and eating and drinking and swallowing needs). They will be an integral part of the multidisciplinary Neurodevelopmental service providing specialist input and contribute to the development of relevant clinical pathways and protocols.
About us
Your Healthcare CIC, we are a not for profit social enterprise, proud of delivering patient-led, high quality health and social care community services for residents in the Borough of Kingston, as part of the NHS family.
Our teams put the person at the centre of everything we offer, where therapists make the clinical decision as to what is required and deliver quality, evidence-based speech and language therapy. We have strong relationships with our commissioners and partnership organisations such as education, health and social care. You would be working as part of a well-established dynamic team and would therefore gain invaluable knowledge, skills and experience.
Do you want to work in complimentary teams where our purpose is to support children and young people and adults to develop communication and/or eating and drinking skills, so that they have greater independence, confidence and participation in their community?
Do you want to be part of a fun, supportive and innovative team, who value making a difference?
If so, come join us!
Job description
Job responsibilities
Key Result Areas/Principle responsibilities
Patient/client care:
To have knowledge, experience and understanding of the strengths and needs of children, young people and adults with a learning disability with a variety of communication disorders in order to support their developing skills within educational settings, and their adult lives.
To have knowledge and understanding of other areas of need that may impact on children, young people and adults with a learning disability with severe learning difficulties and/or ASC, such as physical disabilities, challenging behaviour and/or sensory needs and/or eating, drinking and swallowing needs (EDS), Dysphagia and/or Avoidant and Restrictive Food Intake Disorder - ARFID.
To have knowledge and experience in supporting children, young people and adults with a learning disability with EDS needs or an interest in further developing these skills, in the childs/ service users home, work and education environments.
To contribute to the development of specialist Speech and Language Therapy programmes and provision of appropriate evaluation of outcomes for the management of children, young people and adults with a learning disability and with complex needs.
To contribute to service development for children, young people and adults with a learning disability that reflects the needs of the people, their carers/parents and considers the needs of other professionals involved in their care.
To assess, interpret results and differentially diagnose the communication and the EDS needs of children, young people and adults with a learning disability on the caseload.
To demonstrate skills in motivating clients and/or their carers to engage in the therapeutic process.
To provide specialist advice and training to significant others family members, teaching staff and support staff as appropriate in the delivery of the service, in order that opportunities for communication and/or safe and enjoyable eating and drinking are identified, reinforced and carried over into everyday life.
To produce meaningful and useful reports, when required, that summarise the child/ service users needs and indicate a proposed plan and monitoring arrangements, including reports submitted to Education as formal advice as part of the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) process, formal reports required for the mental capacity process. To be competent in understanding the process and deliver Education, Health and Care Plans according to the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (Childrens Act 2014).
To work closely with our Multi-Disciplinary Colleagues (MDT) and carers/parents involved in the care of children, young people and adults with a learning disability ensuring that holistic approaches are used, therapy programmes are focused according to main areas of need and managed effectively and in a timely way to improve outcomes.
Setting and reviewing of individual outcomes collaboratively with members of the multi-disciplinary team, children, young people and adults with a learning disability and carers/parents to ensure outcomes have incorporated the children, young people and adults with a learning disability preferences and carers/parents preferences and that they are meaningful and functional.
To demonstrate a high level of clinical effectiveness by use of evidence-based practice, SLT plans and outcome measures, which involve monitoring and reviewing the children, young people and adults with a learning disability s progress against the Speech and Language Therapy plans and outcomes set.
To have knowledge and experience of using clinical interventions such as MAKATON, PECS, VERVE, Attention Autism, Intensive Interaction and Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems (AAC). To be able to support others to develop skills in these interventions, including devising and delivery training presentations/workshops.
To demonstrate empathy and adapt practice to meet individual clients circumstances. Ensuring that effective communication is achieved particularly where barriers to understanding exist, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.
To reflect on clinical practice both individually and with peers identifying strengths and needs and providing evidence of sound clinical judgements
To effectively work with a range of professionals and ensure work undertaken is suitable to their level of skills, knowledge and expertise and measuring effectiveness and quality through regular observation, supervision and appraisal.
To identify/coordinate and provide regular specialist training both for educational and care support staff groups, parents and the Speech and Language Therapy team on a range of topics that will support the development of the children and service users on the case load and SLT team members professional development.
To contribute to the induction of new members of the team.
To keep up to date with current clinical developments through reading, attendance at courses, meetings and Hubs and share this information with other colleagues.
Information resources:
To maintain childrens clinical notes in line with the organisations Standards and Policy.
To carry out administrative duties including data collection; managing appointments and maintaining general equipment.
To maintain up to date records of annual leave and other absence.
Research and development:
To contribute to audits and the design and interrogation of data in order to inform the evidence base for clinical effectiveness with this client group (complex needs population with SLCN and EDS, and adults with a learning disability).
To evaluate the effectiveness of the training provided.
Understand, plan, do and review the service that you are providing.
To contribute to action research design and outcome measurement in the area of SLT delivery to mainstream settings.
Freedom to act / decision making:
To manage a complex case load (with support from the Band 7 Speech and Language Therapist and Principal SALT (Nds), advising Team Leads of shortfalls or difficulties as they arise and identify initiatives / plans in order to manage these shortfalls or difficulties and contribute to decision making for future service developments.
To work flexibly and collaboratively in a special educational environment, in people homes, day services and work places in response to service demands and to contribute to interagency team building.
To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries through interpretation of clinical and professional policies.
Communication and working relationships:
To ensure effective links with Team Leads in order to maintain and develop service objectives/initiatives and to advise on issues of service delivery, including shortfalls, service pressures, etc.
To understand Your Healthcare objectives, ethos and aspirations for the future and to develop organisation wide working relationships.
To attend supervision sessions organised for speech and language therapists in order to receive support to ensure there is opportunity for reflective practice.
To attend meetings ( team and clinically specific focused) and in-service training as required
To work effectively within multi and uni-disciplinary teams teaching staff
To work collaboratively with and to contribute to interagency team building where necessary Education and Social services and tertiary services.
To identify own training needs as part of Continuing Professional Development Plan in discussion with team lead and to participate in training as appropriate.
To participate in appraisal and ensure that the objectives set reflect the organisation and service plan and identify personal development objectives.
To demonstrate the ability to start negotiating and manage conflict when it occurs and given the specific challenges of working within an educational environment, generating potential solutions, seeking advice is necessary.
To share information and seek supervision, where necessary, with regard to safeguarding concerns
Person Specification
Personal Qualities
Essential
1. Professional Manner
2. Reliable time keeper
3. Team Worker
4. Committed and motivated
5. Can do attitude
6. Problem Solving Approach
Qualifications
Essential
7. Recognised speech and language therapy qualification
8. HCPC registration
9. Makaton, PECS, Intensive Interaction, AAC, PODD
10. Competent at RCSLT Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Competency Framework (EDSCF) level 4
Desirable
11. Member of RCSLT
12. SCERTS
13. Early Bird
14. ACI/Hanen PCI
15. Colourful Semantics
16. Sensory Stories
17. Lis N Tell
18. Attention Autism
19. PROMPT
20. TOMS
21. Sensory feeding/ ARFID
22. Development of easy read information
23. Post Basic dysphagia training
24. Competent at RCSLT Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Competency Framework (EDSCF) level 5
Experience
Essential
25. Implementation of a range of communication programmes/ approaches listed above.
26. Setting clear therapy plans and monitoring and evaluating/measuring outcomes.
27. A minimum of 3 years post qualification experience in working with children/young people with SLCN and some professional experience of working with adults with a learning disability
28. Managing a caseload of children or adults with a learning disability and with eating, drinking and swallowing needs (Dysphagia).
29. Experience of working collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team and with parents/carers.
30. Experience of working within a specialist and/or mainstream education setting or in a specialist community healthcare team
31. Delivering training workshops to a range of professionals/parents/carers in order to ensure enskilling others in a range of therapy approaches/strategies/service delivery and capturing effectiveness of the training.
32. Clinical supervision of SaLT students and SaLT Assistants.
Desirable
33. Knowledge of risk management, quality standards and clinical effectiveness.
34. Working collaboratively with our key partners,, SEN team at Achieving for Children, SENCOs and Senior Leadership Teams in schools, GP Federation, voluntary sector, social care, residential service providers
35. The Balanced System framework.
36. Experience of using known therapeutic interventions with adults with a learning disability such as TEACCH, Pecs, objects of reference, sensory stories. social stories, informal AAC strategies
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
37. Maintaining clinical expertise, keeping up to date with and sharing new techniques and developments, for the promotion and maintenance of good practice within the team.
38. Of using SaLT plans and outcome measures to ensure children/young people or adults with a learning disabilitys communication skills are supported in a relevant, functional and measured way.
39. Ability to manage a caseload of children/young people or adults with a learning disability with eating, drinking and swallowing needs (Dysphagia).
40. Working with children and young people/ adults with a learning disability /parents/carer, educational colleagues/ residential care staff and other professionals to ensure collaborative outcome setting and focused therapy.
41. Of relevant developments in Education, the National Curriculum and Code of Practice and competently understand the process and delivery of Education, Health and Care Plans.
42. Working with a range of professionals and ensuring work undertaken is suitable to their level of skills, knowledge and expertise and using effective measurement.
43. Of a wide range of assessments and approaches to support children with speech, language and social communication needs, including telehealth.
44. Of outcome planning and monitoring for Education, Health and Care Plans and children at SEN.
45. Of clinical governance, research and audit procedures/plans.
46. Of applying visual systems to support communication in an educational context, TEACCH, PECS, AAC, Makaton signs and symbols.
47. Knowledge of a Total Communication approach.
48. Information Technology skills.
49. Good organisational skills.
50. Excellent communication & interpersonal skills.
51. Good presentation skills.
52. Reflective practitioner.
53. Problem solving skills.
54. Negotiation skills and resolution of conflict
Desirable
55. Sensory impairment.
56. IT software ( widgit/boardmaker/MS Teams/webinars).
57. Awareness and understanding of principles of neurodiversity and consideration of this in practice.
58. Experience of being exposed to a diverse range of people/cultures/ways of doing things.
59. Partnership working practices,, SEN Panels, Council for Disabled Children (CDC), ISCD at Moor Lane, social care team, primary care teams, residential service providers
60. Providing audiology care to people with learning disabilities
61. Good practice in the development of meaningful easy read material