Highly Specialist SLT: Young and Thriving 0-5 Team
Job ref 407-COMMUNITY-7836218-A
Grade: NHS AfC Band 7
Contract: Fixed term 12 months (Post funded by the Local Authority for 1 year from when the post holder is appointed)
Hours: Full time – 37.5 hours per week
Site: Blakenall Village Centre, Town Blakenall
Salary: £49,387 - £56,515 per annum (Yearly)
Closing: 10/06/2026 23:59; Interview date: 30/06/2026
Job overview
Walsall Healthcare Speech and Language Therapy Service has an exciting opportunity to work within a newly formed Young and Thriving Team with direct links to the preschool speech and language therapy service. The focus will be to support vulnerable families to access services through preventative work, early identification, engagement work, coaching and timely, joined‑up support embedding Families First Principles.
The role will be to work with preschool children, using a whole family approach, to support families with multiple and complex needs arising from a range of issues to avoid family breakdown and increase parental capacity to improve speech, language and communication outcomes.
You will work independently to manage complex cases, across a range of community settings, and play a role in training the wider workforce. Excellent communication skills are required. You will be required to travel; travel expenses are subsidised.
The successful applicant will work closely with service managers, therapists and multi‑agency professionals. Ongoing supervision will be provided.
Main duties of the job
* Establish, lead and co‑ordinate the speech and language therapy role within the Young and Thriving Team, reporting to the Head of the preschool Service and local Authority partners.
* Contribute to an integrated team for a cohort of preschool children within families with complex needs who have speech, language and communication difficulties.
* Develop personalised plans using Family First principles.
* Provide appropriate assessment and intervention, advice and support in relation to SLC; adapt practice to individual circumstances, including cultural and linguistic differences.
* Measure and evaluate outcomes of intervention with the young person, key carers and settings.
* Produce reports, reflecting highly specialist knowledge, in a format easily understood by the family.
* Contribute to legal documents such as Education, Health and Care Plans and court reports.
* Manage a caseload within departmental and integrated team standards.
* Provide advice and support to colleagues and deliver training.
* Develop accessible information and resources.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Communication and relationships
* Communicate complex condition specific information to clients, carers and multi‑disciplinary team members.
* Use a range of interventions to support engagement, including intensive 1:1 coaching.
* Contribute to clinical teams – both multi‑disciplinary and uni‑disciplinary – across organisations through the development of appropriate care plans.
* Provide highly specialist advice to clients, carers and multi‑disciplinary team members.
* Promote the role and understanding of the profession within the local community.
* Provide clear and concise written reports in line with departmental standards reflecting highly specialist knowledge.
* Provide advice, training and support to others regarding the appropriate management and care of clients, including designated speciality and complex cases.
* May respond initially to complaints, reporting to Head of Service on all occasions.
* Promote multi‑disciplinary and inter‑agency liaison and collaborative practice.
Clinical leadership
* Lead a specialist area and/or designated project.
* Facilitate the development of others’ problem‑solving/negotiation skills within peer review/support context and through supervision.
* Lead the development of local clinical guidelines informed by evidence for clinical specialism and awareness of SEN process and statutory assessment.
* Provide mentoring and support to more junior speech and language therapists and provide second opinions to colleagues in highly specialist areas / designated projects.
* Contribute to speech and language therapy student placements.
* Provide specialist training and presentation in area of clinical expertise.
* Initiate and undertake research/audit particularly in area of clinical expertise and/or designated project.
* Participate and develop innovations in areas of risk management, quality standards setting and clinical effectiveness.
* Represent team with multi‑disciplinary systems of clinical governance within an organisation, in close liaison with line manager.
* Contribute to the identification of training needs within the department with specific responsibility for designated specialist clinical area.
* Direct and participate in local and national research initiatives within the specialist area.
Managerial responsibilities
* Manage caseload within departmental standards and integrated team standards.
* Manage own time and prioritise workload within the specialist service.
* Report to line manager on issues of concern, project progress.
* Define and manage the work programme for a clinical area and/or designated project area.
* Co‑ordinate a range of both uni and multi‑disciplinary training and teaching programmes.
* Contribute to the planning and delivery of highly specialist services working with Heads of Service to co‑ordinate appropriate service delivery.
* Identify areas for own personal and professional development including specific objectives related to the clinical specialism and project area.
Responsibility for client care
* Use specialist knowledge to inform clinical judgements and decisions for the management of complex cases.
* Define a differential diagnosis based on assessment findings using specialist clinical skills.
* Refer clients to other services as appropriate.
* Adapt management plans according to individual circumstances.
* Understand and adhere to national and local clinical guidelines.
* Understand legislation as it relates to the highly specialist clinical area.
* Understand and adhere to Trust policies relevant to the service area.
* Assess, develop and implement specialist SLT programmes.
* Negotiate with carers and clients around individual case management, recognising breakdown/conflict when it occurs and generating potential solutions.
* Maintain timely and accurate client records in line with the Trust and Departmental records management policy.
* Demonstrate clinical effectiveness by use of evidence‑based practice and outcome measures in relation to the specialist area.
Departmental responsibilities
* Contribute to the development of the Annual Service Development Plan with regard to relevant clinical specialisms and/or designated project.
* Facilitate and co‑ordinate team objectives and projects as specified in the Service Development Plan.
* Understand and adhere to policies and professional standards.
* Contribute to inter‑agency team building and policy development within the integrated team.
* Contribute to the development of local clinical guidelines informed by evidence for clinical specialism.
* Plan and deliver highly specialist training in area of expertise and contribute to the development of core training on a range of subjects.
* Develop policies, protocols and care pathways related to the relevant clinical specialism and/or designated project.
* Interpret and implement national and local policy relevant to the specialist area / designated project.
Responsibility for resources
* Monitor stock levels and order new equipment as appropriate.
* Maintain equipment, ensuring safety standards are maintained.
* Use resources efficiently.
* Identify resources required within specific specialist or project area.
Professional responsibilities
* Accountable for own professional actions.
* Recognise professional boundaries and seek advice as appropriate.
Person specification
Qualifications
* Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent.
* Health Professions Council – Licence to Practice.
* Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist.
Knowledge and experience
* In‑depth experience within specialist area.
* Advanced knowledge of compounding factors on development of speech, language and communication.
* Evidence of successful completion of specialist short courses up to Masters degree or equivalent.
Skills and knowledge
* Excellent interpersonal skills.
* Good organisational skills.
* Effective negotiation and problem‑solving skills.
* Good presentation skills, written and verbal.
* Ability to prioritise workload.
* Effective clinical leadership and team building skills.
* Ability to work effectively at a multi‑professional/multi‑agency level.
* Understanding of Health and Safety at work.
* Understanding of how services develop within a strategic context.
* Positive understanding of the roles of multi‑agency team members.
Skills and aptitudes
* Well established knowledge of a broad range of assessment tools relevant to the specialist client group.
* In depth knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to the specialist client group.
* In depth knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions and ability to compare and contrast relative benefits.
* In depth knowledge of clinical governance, audit and how this relates to the specialist service area.
* Knowledge of legislation related to the clinical area.
Benefits
* Salary sacrifice scheme.
* Car leasing scheme.
* On‑site staff accommodation (subject to availability).
* Ability to retain NHS pension (where applicable) or join an alternative scheme.
* Opportunity to develop and implement expertise in an encouraging yet challenging environment.
Diversity
We would particularly welcome applications from people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and from people with a disability.
Professional registration requirement
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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