Job summary
Barnet Children's Integrated Therapy (CIT) has a vacancy for a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant to join the Early Language Support for Every Child (ELSEC) team. This innovative programme began in June 2024 and is delivered by a team of Speech and Language Therapy Assistants and senior Speech and Language Therapists. Together, we provide training, coaching, and support to education staff across Barnet. The successful candidate will receive full training and support to deliver screening assessments and interventions to children and provide training, modelling and coaching to education staff.
This role involves delivering universal and targeted support to children, families, and education staff as part of an integrated early language support service. ELSEC is a pilot project, funded by NHS England and the Department for Education, aiming to test the impact of early identification and support for children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN) in Early Years and Primary settings.
To learn more about the programme, please visit the Department for Education website: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/earlier-support-for-speech-and-language-for-20000-children
Please note: This vacancy may close earlier than the advertised deadline if a high number of suitable applications are received.
Main duties of the job
1. Deliver screening assessments and provide training and coaching to staff in Early Years and Primary School settings. This includes training staff on how to carry out screening assessments and deliver targeted interventions. Work closely with teachers, teaching assistants, and other allied health professionals to support implementation. Regularly report on progress and share updates with senior Speech and Language Therapists.
2. To use effective communication tools, verbal and non-verbal, to communicate with children who may have barriers to communicating or understanding.
3. To help the team with both administrative, and clinical work, thereby supporting the smooth running of the team.
4. To be responsible for making resources, maintaining equipment, keeping clinical notes, and keeping clinical and office spaces in good condition.
5. To be responsible for organising and prioritising your own work and adhering to Trust policies and procedures, especially in relation to child safeguarding.
6. To have a duty to report any accident/incident via Trust procedures.
7. To monitor and record children's progression towards therapy aims.
About us
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See attached job description for further information:
Clinical Skills
1. Further professional knowledge will have been gained through accredited courses workshops, study and in house training programmes.
2. To develop own skills and knowledge and provide information to others to help their development.
3. To be responsible, and accountable, for service delivery to clients/patients under the supervision of a Speech and Language Therapist.
4. To provide patients and relatives with information and education thus ensuring they have meaningful choices that promote dignity, independence, and quality of life.
5. To work frequently without direct supervision in a variety of community settings e.g. community clinics, nurseries, childrens centres, schools, homes, etc.
6. To use judgement to modify and adapt activities to suit each situation.
Communication
1. To have a wide range of knowledge in approaches to communicating and managing patient care.
2. To be able to effectively communicate with colleagues, peers, senior managers and clinical leads within the Trust.
3. To anticipate barriers to communication (internal and external) and take action to improve communication (in self and others)
4. To develop and maintain communication with people about difficult matters and/or in difficult situations.
5. To be able to communicate patient related information facilitating positive outcomes and ensuring collaborative working.
6. Participate in the review and development of clinical policies and identifies improvements to service provision
7. To be proactive in seeking out different styles and methods of communication to meet needs of clients and others
Job description
Job responsibilities
See attached job description for further information:
Clinical Skills
1. Further professional knowledge will have been gained through accredited courses workshops, study and in house training programmes.
2. To develop own skills and knowledge and provide information to others to help their development.
3. To be responsible, and accountable, for service delivery to clients/patients under the supervision of a Speech and Language Therapist.
4. To provide patients and relatives with information and education thus ensuring they have meaningful choices that promote dignity, independence, and quality of life.
5. To work frequently without direct supervision in a variety of community settings e.g. community clinics, nurseries, childrens centres, schools, homes, etc.
6. To use judgement to modify and adapt activities to suit each situation.
Communication
1. To have a wide range of knowledge in approaches to communicating and managing patient care.
2. To be able to effectively communicate with colleagues, peers, senior managers and clinical leads within the Trust.
3. To anticipate barriers to communication (internal and external) and take action to improve communication (in self and others)
4. To develop and maintain communication with people about difficult matters and/or in difficult situations.
5. To be able to communicate patient related information facilitating positive outcomes and ensuring collaborative working.
6. Participate in the review and development of clinical policies and identifies improvements to service provision
7. To be proactive in seeking out different styles and methods of communication to meet needs of clients and others
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Relevant prior experience related to Job description and working with children
Desirable
- NVQ level 2/3
- Minimum of 5 GCSE's or equivalent
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
- Good organisational skills
- Able to communicate effectively particularly where difficulties in understanding exist
- Demonstrates awareness of standards of record keeping
- Able to identify own strengths and needs
- Able to identify when to seek support
- Demonstrates the ability to reflect on practice with peers / clinical supervisor
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- At least two years experience working with Children and Young people
- Evidence of continued development and learning in a therapy area
- Working in education and/or working alongside colleagues in education
- Experience of working effectively in a team
- Experience of delivering interventions to children following the advice of another professional
Desirable
- General Knowledge of child development
Other
Essential
- To be aware and demonstrate the trust values
- To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
- Excellent interpersonal skills, able to listen well
- Able to demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues
Demonstration of Trust Values
Essential
- Innovation
- Compassionate
- Accountable
- Respectful
- Excellent
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Relevant prior experience related to Job description and working with children
Desirable
- NVQ level 2/3
- Minimum of 5 GCSE's or equivalent
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Basic awareness of IT and IT skills
- Good organisational skills
- Able to communicate effectively particularly where difficulties in understanding exist
- Demonstrates awareness of standards of record keeping
- Able to identify own strengths and needs
- Able to identify when to seek support
- Demonstrates the ability to reflect on practice with peers / clinical supervisor
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- At least two years experience working with Children and Young people
- Evidence of continued development and learning in a therapy area
- Working in education and/or working alongside colleagues in education
- Experience of working effectively in a team
- Experience of delivering interventions to children following the advice of another professional
Desirable
- General Knowledge of child development
Other
Essential
- To be aware and demonstrate the trust values
- To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
- Excellent interpersonal skills, able to listen well
- Able to demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues
Demonstration of Trust Values
Essential
- Innovation
- Compassionate
- Accountable
- Respectful
- Excellent
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.
