Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

The closing date is 28 July 2026

The Children's Integrated Speech and Language Therapy Service for Hackney and the City is a unique collaboration between local health and education agencies. By pooling resources, the service is able to provide high quality, comprehensive services to the children, young people and families within Hackney and the City.

The post holder will provide a high-quality specialist speech and language therapy service to children and young people within the specified clinical areas: Mainstream Primary Schools (in Hackney and other London boroughs), Early Years and within Locality Inclusion Teams which are the Experts at Hand offer in Hackney.

In conjunction with families the post holder will assess, where possible within their first language, and diagnose children with a range of speech, language and communication needs. He /she will contribute to the multi-professional assessment of children and young people with language and communication, and in some posts eating and drinking needs. He/she will plan and implement specialist programmes of support and intervention for these children and young people as part of the multi-disciplinary team.

The post holder will raise awareness of speech, language and communication development through training for parents, children's centre staff and other multi-agency professionals across a wide cultural spectrum.

A detailed job description and person specification is attached. The main duties of the job are:

• Within a range of designated settings, such as Children's Centres, nurseries, schools (primary and secondary), playgroups, the post holder will work closely with families and professionals to support young people with a wide range of speech, language and communication needs.
• Will work as part of a team of skilled Speech and Language Therapists (SaLT) who work across a range of specialisms within the locality team to ensure that holistic and continuous care is provided.
• Will support the work of less experienced Speech and Language Therapists by joint working. Provide full speech and language therapy student placements including assessment of students. Supervise the work of assistants and volunteers and explain the role of the Speech and Language Therapist to visitors, students and other professionals.
• Work closely with the relevant multi-disciplinary teams, including across Hackney Education and Hackney Ark.

Work closely with parents and carers ensuring that they are involved at each step and are well informed of their child's speech, language and communication needs and have strategies to support their child.

• Inform and consult with Clinical Lead Specialists and SaLT Service Managers regarding potential pressures or developments that impact on the SaLT service in the specified clinical areas.

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree Qualification or equivalent (Post-Graduate Diploma or MSc in Speech and Language therapy leading to registration with HCPC)
• Health and Care Professions Council - Licence to Practice
• Successful completion of specialist courses relevant to the specialism
• Clinical supervisors course for staff and students
• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapist

• Excellent interpersonal skills - including observation, listening tact, persuasion and empathy skills
• Well developed negotiation, problem solving and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to work collaboratively with children, parents and colleagues
• Ability to share sensitive and complex information with families and professionals.
• Capable of recognising and seeking advice appropriately.
• Capable of dealing with complaints sensitively.
• Demonstrates good analytical and reflection skills
• Ability to work to deadlines as required by line manager
• Ability to contribute to project work associated with developing and evaluating new services.
• Ability to work independently (i.e., line manager off site)
• Ability to use and interpret assessment tool of choice for particular client/s
• Ability to plan alone or in a group for clinical sessions and team work
• Good organisational and prioritisation skills
• Computer literacy (Able to use Microsoft office including Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word, and electronic records )
• Good presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Speaker of other relevant community language

• Post-graduate experience in relevant specialist area
• Evidence of having received mentoring support in the relevant specialist area
• Experience of providing clinical supervision to SaLT students
• Experience of instigating and managing change
• Other relevant experience (eg personal experience of children, previous experience of working with children and/or people with other disabilities)

• Well established understanding of principles of assessment and intervention for bilingual children
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping and confidentiality issues
• Understanding of the roles of other professionals (relevant to the client group)
• Understanding of the principles of clinical governance /audit
• Well established knowledge of national policies and procedures (relevant to the specialist client group)
• Well established knowledge of a range of appropriate therapeutic interventions (relevant to the client group) and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits
• Well established knowledge of assessment tools relevant to the client group.
• Passion for the clinical area
• A commitment to equal opportunities and understanding of the Trust values

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.

Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

£47,951 to £56,863 a year pro rata p.a. incl