Job summary
We are looking for a full time B6 Speech and Language Therapist with a special interest in working with young people who have complex needs.
We are developing an innovative, integrated model of children's community services and looking for enthusiastic individuals to join our friendly and dedicated locality and county-wide professional teams. This post will be working across the Exeter East and Mid Devon locality as well as the Torbay and South Devon locality but there is some flexibility in where it can be based.
The role will includespeech and language assessment and intervention for children and young people with significant communication difficulties, often those with a complex medical history. Support can be offered usually within the special school setting and include working with the young persons support network with a focus on developing a total communication approach to enhance receptive and expressive language skills.
As a large community service, you will be joining a strong, enthusiastic and supportive group of professionals who will be your peers, your phone a friend network and your inspiring colleagues. This provides a real sense of professional collaboration at work, that will be an asset to your daily work, your career development and your support network.
Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) is the place to be!
Main duties of the job
Manage a caseload of children and young people with complex Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) using evidenced based practice to assess, plan, formulate, implement and evaluate interventions in a variety of settings (individually and/or in groups and as part of a multidisciplinary team).
Provide reports, feedback and statistics reflecting specialist knowledge.
Inform carers and other professionals on details from specialist assessments.
Work with the wider team to co-ordinate visits, clinic appointments and oversee the day to day caseload management.
Participate in the provision of student placements and support rotation therapists at a lower banding across the county as needed.
Working within a CFHD pathway of care, provide clinical support for the complex needs specialism to SLT's across the other designated pathways/s of care (these can include but are not limited to; Speech, Language and Communication Pathway, Managing Neurodiversity Pathway, Community Children's Nursing, Physical and Sensory pathway and Vulnerable Children's Pathway).
Important Information Regarding Service Changes:We are currently entering into a formal consultation process to move all Children and Family Health Devon (CFHD) staff to a single provider. As part of this process, staff currently employed by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust will transfer to Devon Partnership NHS Trust on 1 April 2026.
About us
At Children and Family Health Devon,we are dedicated to improvingthephysicalandmental health ofchildren and young people across Devon and Torbay.Weaim to create anenvironment where children and young people can thriveand arecommitted to reducing health inequalitiesandproviding specialised support, empoweringthemto lead healthy, fulfilling lives.
Who we are
We are an alliance of NHS organisations led by Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with Devon Partnership Trust. We are a group of professionalsincludingpsychologists,psychiatrists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists,nursesand many other professions.
Join us in beautiful Devon
Withaccess tomoors,seaandcities,there are plenty of opportunities to enjoy Devon. Whether you enjoy spending time in the cultural hub of Exeter, exploring the Jurassiccoastlineordiscovering theworld surfing reserve in North Devon - there really is something for everyone.
Careers - Children and Family Health Devon
Job description
Job responsibilities
Communicate complex condition-related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions in a way that is accessible and easily understood. This will include facilitating strategies for people with communication disorders where barriers to understanding may exist.
Demonstrate specialist Speech and Language Therapy knowledge across a range of therapeutic interventions.
Responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise.
Use routine outcome measures and goal-based approach, collaboratively with service users, in ways that inform treatment and clinical care.
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
Communicate complex condition-related information from assessment to clients, carers, families and members of the multi-disciplinary team/other professions in a way that is accessible and easily understood. This will include facilitating strategies for people with communication disorders where barriers to understanding may exist.
Demonstrate specialist Speech and Language Therapy knowledge across a range of therapeutic interventions.
Responsible for organising and planning own caseload to meet service and patient priorities. Readjusting plans as situations change/arise.
Use routine outcome measures and goal-based approach, collaboratively with service users, in ways that inform treatment and clinical care.
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
Qualifications and training
Essential
- oRecognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- oRecognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- oRegistered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- oMembership of relevant Special Interest Groups
Desirable
- oEvidence 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
- oHighly developed specialist knowledge (acquired through attending specialist short courses) to enable post holder to work autonomously
- oHighly developed specialist knowledge of independent management of complex and highly specialised caseload and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
- oIn depth knowledge of children with special needs and associated conditions underpinned by current evidence-based practice
- oWell 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
- oAbility 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
- oAbility to use specialist experience to inform sound clinical judgements/ decision making for case management
- oRelevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
- oProven relevant experience post qualification in managing a complex varied caseload and in working autonomously in the community
Desirable
- oCompetence in delivering language development training to both professional and untrained staff in the community
- oExperience supervising speech and language therapy programme implementation by early years and mainstream school staff
- oExperience in team leading and organising a local service/clinic
- oExperience of supervising less experienced Speech and Language Therapists
- oExperience working within multi-disciplinary teams.
- oExperience working in early years, school age and specialist settings.
Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential
- oRecognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- oRecognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent
- oRegistered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
- oMembership of relevant Special Interest Groups
Desirable
- oEvidence 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
- oHighly developed specialist knowledge (acquired through attending specialist short courses) to enable post holder to work autonomously
- oHighly developed specialist knowledge of independent management of complex and highly specialised caseload and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
- oIn depth knowledge of children with special needs and associated conditions underpinned by current evidence-based practice
- oWell 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
- oAbility 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
- oAbility to use specialist experience to inform sound clinical judgements/ decision making for case management
- oRelevant experience at undergraduate/post graduate level
- oProven relevant experience post qualification in managing a complex varied caseload and in working autonomously in the community
Desirable
- oCompetence in delivering language development training to both professional and untrained staff in the community
- oExperience supervising speech and language therapy programme implementation by early years and mainstream school staff
- oExperience in team leading and organising a local service/clinic
- oExperience of supervising less experienced Speech and Language Therapists
- oExperience working within multi-disciplinary teams.
- oExperience 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.
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
