Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Specialist Speech and Language Therapist Neurodiversity Team

The closing date is 03 September 2025

Job summary

This role is for a full time Speech and Language Therapist to join the Neurodiversity Pathway. This is an exciting time to join CFHD and to be a part of a team undertaking specialist assessments, and providing some specialist intervention, whilst working within a specialist multi disciplinary team and liaising, and working closely with colleagues both in CFHD, and with other organisations.

Main duties of the job

  • Hold an appropriate caseload and undertake a lead clinician role for children receiving specialist assessment from within the specialist pathway.
  • Undertake specialist assessments, including risk assessments, offer some specialist interventions and work alongside other clinicians including Clinical Psychologists, Occupational Therapists, Community Paediatrics, Nurses and psychological therapists, to ensure the best outcome for the children young people who engage with our services.
  • Work alongside other Speech and Language Therapists across CFHD to implement the Balanced System. The system aims to ensure children and young people have the right support, at the right time to develop and improve speech, language and communication skills.
  • Work across pathways and geographical areas as required, according to need and demand.

About us

Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) comprises an Alliance of NHS organisations working together to improve health outcomes for children and young people in Devon, including;

  • Torbay and South Devon FT
  • Devon Partnership NHS Trust
  • Royal Devon and Exeter FT
  • Northern Devon Healthcare NHS Trust
  • Livewell South West

CFHD provides integrated care and treatment for children and young people which are provided by TSDFT and DPT. We are working closely with other organisations and providers to ensure we deliver locality and county-wide based integrated access to all of our services, based on the i-Thrive Framework, in response to consultation with our service users and communities.

Our integrated care and treatment has been developed and refined in partnership with children, young people and their families/carers.

Our children and young people say...

"We would like the people who work for Children and Family Health Devon to be understanding, patient and respectful. They should be trustworthy and make us feel safe and comfortable. It is important that they use their skills and experience to listen carefully in a non-patronising and non-judgemental way. When staff are positive and friendly, they help to create an environment that is informal and without pressure".

Our vision is to be a successful, vibrant, partnership that benefits the communities we serve.

Details

Date posted

20 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

388-7405500-CFHD

Job locations

Capital Court

Bittern Road, Sowton Industrial estate, Exeter,

Exeter

EX27FW


Job description

Job responsibilities

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification

Job description

Job responsibilities

Full Vacancy details can be found on the attached Job Description/Person Specification. Please refer to your suitability to the post in your supporting information from the role requirements or person specification

Person Specification

qualification

Essential

  • Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
  • Full Registration with Health Professions Council
  • Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  • Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups

Desirable

  • Evidence of successful completion of specialist post graduate short courses relating to paediatric communication disorders including Learning Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Highly developed specialist knowledge (acquired through attending specialist short courses) to enable post holder to work autonomously
  • Highly developed specialist knowledge of independent management of complex and highly specialised caseload and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
  • In depth knowledge of children with special needs and associated conditions underpinned by current evidence-based practice
  • Well established knowledge of a broad range of assessment and therapeutic tools relevant to working with children and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
  • Ability to make a differential diagnosis, choose appropriate treatments from a range of options and provide specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes by use of evidence-based practice
  • Ability to use specialist experience to inform sound clinical judgements/ decision making for case management
  • Relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
  • Proven relevant experience post qualification in managing a complex varied caseload and in working autonomously in the community

Desirable

  • Competence in delivering language development training to both professional and untrained staff in the community
  • Experience supervising speech and language therapy programme implementation by early years and mainstream school staff
  • Experience in team leading and organising a local service/clinic
  • Experience of supervising less experienced Speech and Language Therapists
  • Experience working within multi-disciplinary teams
  • Experience working in early years, school age and specialist settings
Person Specification

qualification

Essential

  • Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
  • Full Registration with Health Professions Council
  • Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  • Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups

Desirable

  • Evidence of successful completion of specialist post graduate short courses relating to paediatric communication disorders including Learning Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

  • Highly developed specialist knowledge (acquired through attending specialist short courses) to enable post holder to work autonomously
  • Highly developed specialist knowledge of independent management of complex and highly specialised caseload and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
  • In depth knowledge of children with special needs and associated conditions underpinned by current evidence-based practice
  • Well established knowledge of a broad range of assessment and therapeutic tools relevant to working with children and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
  • Ability to make a differential diagnosis, choose appropriate treatments from a range of options and provide specialist intervention and evaluate outcomes by use of evidence-based practice
  • Ability to use specialist experience to inform sound clinical judgements/ decision making for case management
  • Relevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
  • Proven relevant experience post qualification in managing a complex varied caseload and in working autonomously in the community

Desirable

  • Competence in delivering language development training to both professional and untrained staff in the community
  • Experience supervising speech and language therapy programme implementation by early years and mainstream school staff
  • Experience in team leading and organising a local service/clinic
  • Experience of supervising less experienced Speech and Language Therapists
  • Experience working within multi-disciplinary teams
  • Experience working in early years, school age and specialist settings

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Capital Court

Bittern Road, Sowton Industrial estate, Exeter,

Exeter

EX27FW


Employer's website

https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Capital Court

Bittern Road, Sowton Industrial estate, Exeter,

Exeter

EX27FW


Employer's website

https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Clinical Team Manager

Nicole Passmore

nicolepassmore@nhs.net

07973737167

Details

Date posted

20 August 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

388-7405500-CFHD

Job locations

Capital Court

Bittern Road, Sowton Industrial estate, Exeter,

Exeter

EX27FW


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)