Speech & Language Therapist

Are you a new or recently qualified Speech & Language Therapist who is passionate about working with children and young people?

We have a new and exciting opportunity for a full time band 5 Speech and Language Therapist to join our school age team based in West Berkshire for one year to cover maternity leave. This role will be ideal for a Speech and Language Therapist looking to develop their skills working with children and young people across mainstream school settings.

You will have an interest in developing skills to support children and young people and will be supported by an experienced team of Speech and Language Therapists to develop your skill set and autonomy in working with children and young people.

You will need to be enthusiastic, demonstrate that you have excellent communication and people skills, and have an understanding of the diverse needs of children and young people. Any experience of working with children and young people is essential, whether as part of student placement or out of work activities.

Working in a passionate team, you will have access to our Trust-wide Learning and Development programme and be supported in your career and personal growth, with opportunities to help you build your Continuing Professional Development portfolio, enabling you to extend your skills and ensure that you excel.

Take responsibility for a dedicated caseload and clinical role.

Carry out clinical assessments within your level of clinical knowledge and skill.

Identify relevant therapy needs from which you can develop and deliver an individualised management plan, with support from a senior therapist as needed.

Contribute to and deliver training to schools/early years setting, parents, CYP and staff, as part of therapy support and delivery.

Contribute to the implementation and development of the impact-based model of clinical decision making.

Work collaboratively with education, local authority, medical and nursing staff to ensure delivery of a coordinated integrated service along with Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy colleague

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

• Caring for and about you is our top priority
• Committed to providing good quality, safe services
• Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

• Flexible working options to support work-life balance
• 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
• Excellent learning and career development opportunities
• 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
• Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
• Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
• Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
• Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
• Free parking across Trust sites

The must have's for this role:

• Qualified Speech and Language Therapist with HCPC registration
• An enthusiasm for working with early years and school aged children and young people
• Full UK driving license with access to vehicle

Our core working hours are Monday to Friday 9 00 but we can offer some flexibility around this. The role will involve some travel but also offers opportunities for flexible working.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

We're committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please don't hesitate to contact Kate Murphy on or who'll be delighted to help.

Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Interview will be held on 21st April 2026

• Professional Qualification
• Professional knowledge acquired through degree/ diploma
• Post graduate clinical experience in relevant professional background

• Recognised CPD in relevant Children's therapy interventions

• Student Placement in Paediatrics
• Experience in working with children in clinical area
• Experience of working with families from a wide variety of backgrounds including age and ethnicity
• Experience of evaluating and managing a range of developmental speech, language and communication conditions
• Able to demonstrate a clinical knowledge and familiarisation with a range of standardised and non-standardised assessment tools relevant to speech and language therapy interventions

• Evidence of a value system which puts the child at the heart of actions
• Able to demonstrate an understanding of paediatrics and the diverse needs of children and young people in a broad sense
• Able to use IT to support and innovate clinical development
• Ability to work in a calm and confident manner in stressful situations
• Knowledge of current professional and statutory issues
• Ability to self-motivate
• Understanding of the English Education System
• Evidence of an understanding and application of Care Planning approaches, and evidence of a belief in its value
• Ability to work successfully as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to work across professional boundaries to effect seamless family care

• Car Driver with access to own car and willingness to work across Berkshire, as required

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.

£32,602 to £39,686 a yearper annum ( Incl of HCAS)