Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist

Job responsibilities

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust plan to integrate and form a new organisation on the 1st April 2026. As such, if your start date is on or after 1st April 2026, you will be employed by the newly formed organisation. Should you join Bridgewater prior to this date, your employment will automatically transfer into the new organisation. We are confident that this transition will provide new opportunities and a continued commitment to excellence in patient care.

Job Purpose:

The assessment, diagnosis and treatment of children with communication disorders, including children with special needs

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical Skills

To assess and diagnose children with communication disorders, including those with special needs

To develop and implement Speech and Language Therapy treatment and to evaluate outcomes

To take clinical responsibility for a varied paediatric caseload of differing complexities and to organise this effectively with regard to clinical priorities and use of time.

To ensure that clients are involved in the planning and prioritisation of their treatment plans wherever possible.

To provide advice and coaching to others regarding the management and care of clients with communication difficulties

To demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence based practice and outcome measures

To produce reports regarding clients needs and summarising proposed care plans

To contribute to legal documents such as Education Health and care Plans, Individual Education Plans and Annual Reviews

To adapt practice to meet individual clients circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences

To maintain up to date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and local trust policies

To share information with clients, carers and other professionals, observing data protection guidelines

To contribute to multi and uni-disciplinary teams to ensure a client focused approach to treatment

To communicate complex information from assessment and treatment to clients, carers and other professionals

To communicate effectively with the child or young person and their carers to maximise treatment potential and ensure understanding of their condition. Addressing physical, psychological and emotional barriers to effective communication will be regularly required.

To work closely with clients, carers and other professionals to negotiate and agree client management

To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where significant barriers to understanding exist

To respond sensitively at all times particularly when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the clinical difficulties and their implications

To motivate clients, carers and other professionals to engage in the therapeutic process

To use negotiation skills in the management of conflict across a range of situations

To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible, in line with Bridgewater trust policy

To foster productive relationships with others who have challenging communication difficulties and may be under stress

To identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance the effectiveness of communication, both verbal, non- verbal and environmental

To assess and advise on optimising the clients communicative environment, taking into consideration the communication skills of carers and other professionals

To assess the capacity of the child or young person to give valid, informed consent. To be able to work within a legal framework with children and parents for consent to Treatment.

Teaching Skills

To participate in the development and delivery of training to others with support.

To target training appropriately to the needs of course participants.

Reflect on and evaluate training provided

Clinical Governance Requirements

To gather statistical data punctually

To participate in departmental research as required

To undertake Clinical Governance/audit projects within the local service as required.

To develop a working knowledge of relevant procedures including: safeguarding children, SEN procedures, working with vulnerable adults and other legal frameworks

Continuing Professional Development

To identify personal / professional development by Personal Development Plan /Professional Portfolio developed within an appraisal framework.

To participate in individual performance review, ensuring that the objectives set reflect the service and trust plans.

To attend relevant training and development in order to maintain and develop skills and knowledge required of a generalist therapist and maintain up to date HCPC and RCSLT registration.

To demonstrate knowledge of, and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Local Clinical Guidelines.

To attend relevant courses, in service training, meetings and special interest groups.

Clinical Leadership

To supervise the work of assistants

To participate in student placements as appropriate.

To explain the role of speech and language therapist to visitors, students and volunteers.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers/clinical supervisor and to identify own strengths and development needs.

To demonstrate the ability to integrate information taking account of all aspects of the clients communication including verbal, non verbal and environmental

To make appropriate clinical decisions following assessment, seeking support and advice from a supervisor as appropriate

To make a differential diagnosis on the basis of evidence from assessment seeking advice as appropriate

Responsibility for Client Care and Contact with Carers

To demonstrate the ability to manage people with challenging behaviours including the application of appropriate management strategies.

To work within infection control and health and safety guidelines in order to deal appropriately with unpleasant conditions related to client contact as they arise: for example exposure to body fluids, infectious conditions, encountered on a regular basis

Extent of Responsibility for Planning and Organisational Skills

To be aware of and adhere to service and team plans and policies

To comment on proposed service / policy developments as appropriate.

To manage and prioritise own workload.

Physical Skills

To use highly developed auditory and perceptual skills in the assessment diagnosis and treatment of clients.

To demonstrate knowledge in moving/handling clients with disabilities.

To learn to use AAC equipment and resources in order to advise clients.

Responsibility for Equipment or Financial Resources

To monitor stock levels in own service area and request new equipment as appropriate.

To be responsible for the security, care maintenance and delivery of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained, including equipment loaned to clients.

Freedom to Act

To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice as appropriate

To work within defined departmental and national protocols / policies and professional code of conduct

To manage and prioritise own caseload independently in conjunction with senior SLT staff

To discharge appropriately, agreeing a point of closure with the clients and carers and informing other professionals

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised Speech and Language
• Therapy Degree Qualification or
• Equivalent
• Health Care Professions Council registration.
• RCSLT Licence to Practice

Desirable

• Registered member
• of Royal College of
• Speech and
• Language
• Therapists
• Membership of
• relevant Special
• Interest Groups

Job Specific Requirements

Essential

• The ability to travel independently across Bridgewater Trust as required
• The ability to work flexibly in accordance with service needs, including occasional evenings

Relationships

Essential

• If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.

Experience

Essential

• Relevant knowledge / placement /experience with a range of paediatric communication problems (Speech Disorders, language disorder, ASD, Learning Disabilities).
• Knowledge or experience of a range of assessment tools / therapeutic interventions
• Experience in coaching/
• training other
• professionals / parents

Desirable

• SLT / SLTA / TA / employment /volunteer experience
• treating range of communication problems
• Relevant knowledge of assessing / treating Fluency
• Experience of AAC
• Experience working in collaboration with parents and professionals, sharing strategies and providing advice to support children in settings

Skills and Attributes

Essential

• Knowledge of EYFS and Code of Practice including SEND Reforms
• Excellent interpersonal skills including observation, listening and empathy skills
• Negotiation and problem solving skills
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills
• Well developed concentration skills
• Good presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Good organisational skills
• Prioritisation skills
• Good auditory skills and ability to transcribe speech phonetically
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team Member
• Knowledge of assessment tools
• relevant to the client group
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the client group)
• Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group)
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group)
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping
• IT skills
• evidence of CPD

Desirable

• Understanding of the
• principles of clinical
• governance/audit

Sponsorship

Essential

• Do you have the right to stay and work in the UK without sponsorship (share-codes will be checked if applicable).

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).