Job Description
POST TITLE: Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
REPORTING TO: Head of Children’s Services
REPORTING TO: Cornerstone Teaching Pay Scale
Main Purpose
- To work within and adhere to the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, The Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) Standards of Practice, relevant Trust policies, procedures and guidelines
- To lead the delivery and training of whole-class and group-based speech and language intervention programmes
- To be responsible for the management of a caseload of children with a variety of speech, language and communication difficulties across Cornerstone Academy Trust
- To participate in the management (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, general management and discharge) of children referred through the schools
- To be involved in the provision of support, guidance and information to teachers, parents and other professionals regarding speech, language and communication
Duties and responsibilities
CLINICAL
- To demonstrate sound theoretical knowledge of the speech and language therapy process and skills necessary for the management of a range of speech, language and communication (SLC) difficulties
- To work within the educational environment and contribute to the educational priorities of the DFE in term of support to increase oracy and language skills
- To be clinically responsible for the management of an identified caseload; to assess and review level of need and to organise this efficiently and effectively with regard to clinical priorities and time management principles
- To undertake comprehensive assessment of children’s speech, language and communication needs using an appropriate mix of standardised assessments informal assessment and clinical observation skills
- To explain & discuss treatment options and develop agreed group or individualised, outcome-focussed treatment plans with the child and their teacher, parent / carers using clinical knowledge and sound clinical reasoning skills
- To develop negotiated outcome-focussed therapy goals and assess progress towards these goals, making changes to planned interventions as appropriate
- To assess child and parent / carer understanding of treatment proposals and methods, gaining valid informed consent from appropriate person(s) taking into account factors such as age, mental capacity, parental responsibility etc
- To provide speech and language therapy intervention. This may involve direct therapy or the provision of programmes to be undertaken by others, through working with classroom staff
- To provide evidence-based therapy intervention on an individual or group basis according to the assessed needs
- To evaluate treatment programmes and patient progress, reassessing and altering treatment programmes as required using recognised outcome measures, assessment tools and clinical skills
- To work collaboratively with children, their carers, teachers and multi-agency professionals to assist in the development of their speech, language and communication skills
- To be involved in the provision of support, guidance and information to parents and other professionals regarding speech, language and communication
- To provide reports and information to other agencies e.g. advice for EHCPs
COMMUNICATION
- To communicate information in accessible formats to parents / carers, children / young people and other professionals and agencies
- To have an awareness of the systems and processes of other agencies in order to work collaboratively with these agencies
- To refer children and / or families to other appropriate agencies as required
- To demonstrate excellent verbal, non-verbal and written communication skills
- To gain compliance of children & young people in their treatment when there may be significant barriers to understanding due to learning disability, behavioural and emotional problems and/or sensory loss
- To facilitate and maintain effective two-way verbal and non-verbal communication with children & young people, their parents / carers and other agencies to ensure understanding of the importance and relevance of speech and language therapy, gaining the best outcomes for the child. This will need to take into account the level of understanding of the child and carers to ensure that information is communicated in accessible formats
- To communicate sensitive information in understandable form to children & young people and their parents / carers, which may be unwelcome or difficult to accept
- To communicate information effectively and work collaboratively with partner agencies and professionals in health, social services, education and the voluntary sector to ensure the protection of vulnerable children. This may include some sensitive information
- To use IT to communicate via e-mail, to obtain info from the internet and to obtain / input data on information systems
- To provide professional reports (written and verbal) when required
- To communicate effectively with other members of the Cornerstone Academy Trust to ensure smooth and efficient delivery of the paediatric speech and language therapy service
PROFESSIONAL
- To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable for all aspects of your own work
- To actively promote and ensure that all aspects of clinical management offered to children is of a high clinical standard and evidence based in line with professional codes of conduct and local policies and procedures
- To ensure that clinical governance and risk management guidelines and policies are followed and to undertake appropriate risk assessments, taking follow up action as required e.g. completion of incident reporting forms / reporting identified risks to supervising therapist etc
- To assess capacity and gain informed consent to treatment working within the legal framework for children and young people in line with Trust policy and procedure
- To demonstrate an ongoing commitment to continuing personal and professional development and to maintain an up-to-date portfolio of evidence of this work
- To evaluate and measure own practice through the use of outcome measures and audit, either individually or as part of a team
- To assist in the identification and promotion of evidence-based best practice and to participate in the development of evidence-based clinical pathways
- To assist with aspects of service management e.g. timetabling, pathway development etc
CLINICAL GOVERNANCE
- To maintain contemporaneous patient records in line with professional policies and procedures
- To attend and participate in staff meetings and team briefings as required
- To contribute fully within the school to enable appropriate development of service wide policies, procedures and standards
- To accept personal responsibility for ensuring compliance with mandatory training requirements
- To maintain a good awareness of RCSLT, and Trust standards, policies, guidelines and procedures and to ensure compliance with these at all times
The above list of duties and responsibilities is not intended to be fully comprehensive and may be amended to take account of changing circumstances or requirements following consultation with the post holder.
Where necessary relevant training in the operation of new or unfamiliar equipment, software or procedures will be provided or arranged.
CONFIDENTIALITY
In the course of your duties, you may have access to confidential information about children, parents or staff.
On no account must such information be divulged to anyone who is not authorised to receive it.
Confidentiality of information must be preserved at all times whether at or away from work.
Performance Management:
Participating in arrangements made for the performance management process at this school including:
- engaging in regular appraisal meetings;
- reviewing from time to time your own methods and programmes of work;
- participating in arrangements for your further training and development. It is you who is responsible for maintaining your CPD levels to at least the minimum requirements of your professional body
Discipline, health and safety:
- To be familiar with and carry out the safety policies of the Trust
- To be aware of and comply with policies and procedures relating to child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, and reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
- To contribute to the overall ethos/work/aims of the Trust
- To appreciate and support the role of other professionals
Staff meetings
- To participate in meetings at the school which relate to SEND or organisation of the schools and wider Trust, as well as monthly whole staff meetings
Administration
- Participating in organisational tasks related to such duties as are described above
Working time
- You shall be available to perform such duties at such times and in such places as may be specified by the Executive Headteacher for 22.5 hours per week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in term time
- Time spent in travelling to or from the place of work shall not count against the hours worked
- Hours and times of work may be varied at any time to meet the needs of the school
- On occasions, you may be required to work overtime
Please note that this job description is illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of the work to be undertaken, commensurate with the grade. It is not a comprehensive list of all tasks that the postholder will carry out. The postholder may be required to do other duties appropriate to the level of the role, as directed by the Headteacher or your line manager.
The post requires you to support students in the age range 2 to 11 years as consistent with the ages of students attending this Academy Trust. This job description is not your contract of employment or any part of it. It has been prepared only for the purpose of school organisation and may change. It may be amended at any time after consultation with you.
