Job summary

We are looking for an innovative and enthusiastic speech and language therapist who wants to do something different, working with children and young people in a holistic way. This is a developmental role which offers the fantastic opportunity for you to develop your band 6 skills and progress to a band 7 once competencies have been achieved. Training will be provided on the job with a clear contract in place.

Most work will initially be completed in Harrogate (whilst training is underway), but when possible the post-holder will also have a small caseload based at a children's home in Scarborough and work with children and young people at the edge of care in the Scarborough, Selby, Whitby and Ryedale area. Work at home may be possible when appropriate and this is facilitated by good IT provision and access to virtual platforms.

You will be employed by the Harrogate NHS trust and work as part of the Youth Communication Team. The contract is for one year at present (until 31/03/2024) but there is a possibility that this will be extended further. There are currently 2 SLTs who as part of our Youth Communication Team, work in the No Wrong Door Service and also in the Youth Justice Service. We have regular supportive meetings and share skills across this small team.

Main duties of the job

The NWD approach is built on teams comprised of specialist roles including a Life Coach (Clinical Psychologist), Speech and Language Therapist and Police Officer.

The requirements of the role are as follows:

• Ability to identify at specialist level, the types of communication disorders found in multiply vulnerable young people
• To offer appropriate communication programmes to the young people and their staff
• To work closely with staff to facilitate communication skills within the identified population
• To work closely with staff to develop communication supportive environments
• To provide a large menu of intervention options for this population, as appropriate, to include individual and group work
• To undertake training of staff and partner agencies to raise awareness of the types of communication difficulties faced by the young people and to offer strategies to facilitate their communication.
• To attend NWD briefings and staff meetings
• In conjunction with the Steering Groups, the NWD to develop and implement policies relating to SLT , NWD development
• A flexible approach to working hours, in line with service requirements. This may include occasional evening and weekend working in order to attend conferences or to support families etc.

About us

The Youth Communication Team has been established since 2014 and is proactive in working in both NWD and YJS services. The team were the first SLTs who worked in the No Wrong Door project and so have experience to share with the new postholder. There are regular opportunities to have peer supervision and meetings with this friendly team. We are also part of the larger SLT team which includes those working in acute and adult community and with people with a learning disability.

The NWD and Youth Justice SLTs are managed by the Professional SLT Lead at Harrogate District Foundation Trust Hospital. Please see Careers - Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (hdft.nhs.uk) for more information.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post involves identification at a specialist and highly specialist level of the type of communication disorder found in this client group and the provision of a menu of appropriate interventions, including individual and group programmes to the young people and their staff.

The post holder will work closely with staff to facilitate their communication skills with this client group. As part of this work, the post holder will organise and plan the training of the staff and staff in partner agencies to raise awareness of the types of communication difficulties faced by young people and strategies to facilitate their communication. The post holder will provide information and reports when required to the professional lead and the Steering Groups.

Please see the band 6 and band 7 job descriptions for full information about the developmental role.

Person Specification

Essential and desirable

Essential

• SLT with relevant degree
• Membership of HCPC
• Evidence of successful completion/on-going undertaking specialist short courses
• Minimum of 2 years' SLT experience
• Relevant experience with transferable skills appropriate to the area of clinical expertise

Desirable

• Membership of relevant Clinical Excellence network (local or national)
• Proven experience to take clinical lead
• Experience of developing and delivering training
• Experience of working with staff in multi-disciplinary/agency settings

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

421-CCS-0261R