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Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Speech and Language Therapy Assistant

The closing date is 11 December 2025

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Job summary

The Children's Speech and Language Therapy Service in the Central area of West Sussex is looking to recruit a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant (SaLTA) to join our team. We have a vacancy for a Band 3 SaLTA to work across our mainstream schools, special schools and Special Support Centre (SSCs) pathways. We are seeking an enthusiastic and well-organised person with experience of working with children and young people with speech and language or learning needs.

Our SaLTAs are a highly valued and vital part of our friendly, professional and dedicated team working in a range of community settings.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will be required to be involved in some or all of the following:

o Making materials to be used in therapy, sourcing pictures online, using software packages etc

o Making IT based resources e.g. visual timetables

o Filing and other administrative tasks

o Assisting in group work with children

o Working with individual children under the guidance of a Speech & Language Therapist

o Guiding and supporting school/setting staff in using specific approaches/ materials to support children with SLCN as directed by the responsible therapist

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.

Why work for us?o Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeingo Varied environments: community hospitals, patients' homes, and bases across Sussexo Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retiremento Excellent training, development, and research opportunitieso Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brightono Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networkso Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trusto Beautiful Sussex location near the South Downs and coast

Our values--Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence--guide everything we do.

We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.

This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.

Details

Date posted

01 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Term time hours

Reference number

150-CP2244-PC

Job locations

Horsham Hospital

Hurst Road

Horsham

RH12 2DR


Job description

Job responsibilities

Excellent communication skills- including the ability to teach and support others (eg. setting staff, parents, other professionals) Enthusiasm and an ability to relate well to children and young people (0-19 years) Enjoy working as part of a team Excellent organisation and administration skills Excellent IT skills- you will feel comfortable learning to use our online patient records system, learning to use software to develop tailored resources to support children and learning to deliver interventions virtually as well as in person The ability to be flexible and respond to a number of different demands that may be office- based or involve travelling to and working within different settings and with different people Ability to self-reflect and actively engage within a process of continuing professional development

The post will require travel to to schools across the Central Sussex locality. Full training and ongoing supervision will be provided within the role.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Excellent communication skills- including the ability to teach and support others (eg. setting staff, parents, other professionals) Enthusiasm and an ability to relate well to children and young people (0-19 years) Enjoy working as part of a team Excellent organisation and administration skills Excellent IT skills- you will feel comfortable learning to use our online patient records system, learning to use software to develop tailored resources to support children and learning to deliver interventions virtually as well as in person The ability to be flexible and respond to a number of different demands that may be office- based or involve travelling to and working within different settings and with different people Ability to self-reflect and actively engage within a process of continuing professional development

The post will require travel to to schools across the Central Sussex locality. Full training and ongoing supervision will be provided within the role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Basic educational qualifications (GCSE's)
  • Formal relevant qualification i.e. NVQ 3 or above, City and Guild or recognised clinical qualification OR equivalent experience

Desirable

  • IT qualification or demonstrable competence

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with children
  • Experience of working with IT
  • Experience of working with children with communication difficulties
  • Experience working with children with special needs

Desirable

  • experience working in schools
  • experience working with children and young people with complex neurodisability

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Understanding of child development
  • Awareness of communication difficulties in children
  • Child protection issues
  • Admin skills
  • Ability to work with others and independently

Desirable

  • Knowledge of multi-disciplinary team working
  • Signing skills
  • Augmentative Assistive Communication Systems
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Basic educational qualifications (GCSE's)
  • Formal relevant qualification i.e. NVQ 3 or above, City and Guild or recognised clinical qualification OR equivalent experience

Desirable

  • IT qualification or demonstrable competence

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working with children
  • Experience of working with IT
  • Experience of working with children with communication difficulties
  • Experience working with children with special needs

Desirable

  • experience working in schools
  • experience working with children and young people with complex neurodisability

Skills and Knowledge

Essential

  • Understanding of child development
  • Awareness of communication difficulties in children
  • Child protection issues
  • Admin skills
  • Ability to work with others and independently

Desirable

  • Knowledge of multi-disciplinary team working
  • Signing skills
  • Augmentative Assistive Communication Systems

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Horsham Hospital

Hurst Road

Horsham

RH12 2DR


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Horsham Hospital

Hurst Road

Horsham

RH12 2DR


Employer's website

https://www.sussexcommunity.nhs.uk/work-with-us/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Operational Team Lead

Kate Saunders

sc-tr.csaltcsmcentral@nhs.net

01403620445

Details

Date posted

01 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,937 to £26,598 a year per annum (pro rata)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time, Term time hours

Reference number

150-CP2244-PC

Job locations

Horsham Hospital

Hurst Road

Horsham

RH12 2DR


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)