Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist for Youth Justice

Job responsibilities

1. Clinical Practice

*To be professionally and legally responsible and accountable as an autonomous practitioner for all aspects of your own work including the independent management of children with SLT needs.

*Demonstrate a clear understanding of speech and language therapy service role within the wider context of a child's education and other needs, as well as exercising professional judgement to manage risk appropriately in response to complex and unpredictable events.

*To ensure a high standard of clinical care for the children under your management, adhering to agreed departmental standards, national protocols/policies and the Professional Code of Conduct and support less experienced staff to do likewise.

*To use highly specialist clinical knowledge and experience to undertake the comprehensive assessment and differential diagnosis of children with at times complex developmental difficulties, requiring the ability to make highly specialist clinical decisions. Use highly developed analytical and interpretive skills to deal with a range of individual presentations and complex situations using information from multiple sources.

*To formulate, evaluate and review individual specialised SLT therapy management and treatment plans using highly developed clinical reasoning skills and advanced knowledge of diagnosis and a wide range of treatment skills appropriate to 12-19 year olds with SLCN, working at all times in partnership with 12-19 year olds, parents/carer, school staff and justice sector staff.

*To demonstrate highly developed auditory, perceptual and analytical skills required for the assessment and management of children with SLCN in the context of the justice system.

*To ensure that all children are enabled to communicate to the best of their ability within developmental guidelines, including the introduction and successful use of alternative and augmentative systems of communication where appropriate e.g. Makaton, high/low tech communication aids, Picture Exchange Communication System etc.

*To demonstrate the ability to communicate complex and sensitive information in an understandable form to children/young people, parents and other staff including imparting unwelcome news.

2. Education

*Engage with, appraise and respond to individuals' motivations, development stage and capacity and empower them to participate in decisions about their care, health and well-being.

*Support a wider team to build capacity and capability through work-based and inter-professional learning, while facilitating peer review processes to identify individual and team learning.

*To support the Locality Leads in identifying the training needs of staff and in developing training programmes for staff in the SLT service or within the Justice sector, which include the organisational priorities and service objectives of Solent NHS Trust and the Youth Offending Team.

*To provide clinical supervision, advice, support and appraisal to less experienced Speech & Language Therapists, assistants and volunteers and actively participate in our Clinical supervision.

*To provide clinical supervision and training to speech and language therapy students on placement, up to and including their final year, supporting the Universities in determining fitness to practice.

*To maintain own clinical professional development, and assist others in doing the same, by keeping abreast of new trends and developments, incorporating them into working practice where possible, to ensure the continued development of professional competence/performance, and maintenance of HCPC and Professional registration. To be proactive in seeking learning opportunities both internally and externally to maintain and update specialist knowledge and skills.

*Able to critically assess and address own learning needs and follow a personal development plan across the four pillars of advanced clinical practice.

*To participate in the Trust appraisal scheme, evaluating personal and service performance and agreeing on objectives which are in line with service and organisational goals.

*To enable others (e.g. parents, school staff, justice sector staff) to deliver effective therapy programmes by identifying barriers to understanding and using highly developed persuasion, negotiation and teaching skills to gain consent, cooperation and develop competence.

*To advise justice sector staff on staff training and development needs to ensure that all staff are competent to implement therapy treatment plans, understand the importance of communication, in its widest context and therefore provide developmentally rich environments.

*To be responsible for the production and delivery of core and specialist training on a range of subjects relating to clinical specialism to staff in the justice sector, voluntary sector and health colleagues.

*To effectively manage own caseload including responding to urgent requests/referrals, prioritising clinical work and balancing other patient related and professional activities in accordance with service standards and patient needs.

*To provide advice to the justice sector staff and other agencies including the voluntary sector on the development of policies and practice to facilitate development, aiming for inclusion, socialisation and the maximisation of education for all children with speech, language and communication difficulties.

*To maintain accurate and comprehensive case notes and records which would stand up to legal scrutiny and provide a full account of the child's care.

*To ensure that all those involved in a child's care i.e. school staff, justice sector staff, other professionals, parents are kept fully informed of the service provided and the progress made through the provision of information and timely reports.

*To communicate effectively and work collaboratively with colleagues in health, justice, social care and education to ensure delivery of a co-ordinated multi-disciplinary service.

*To support the LA in fulfilling their statutory duty to meet the needs of each child in accordance with their Education Health and Care Plans. To provide professional advice on contentious cases, writing witness statements and attending Tribunals if required.

*To manage conflict and potentially stressful, upsetting or emotional situations in an empathetic manner, dealing on a fairly regular basis with grieving and at times angry parents.

*To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible, complying with the Trust Complaints Procedure at all times

*To demonstrate a sound understanding of clinical governance and clinical risk management and apply to work situation.

3. Management and Leadership

*To provide a lead role across the Service & Trust for a Clinical Pathway, working with Locality Leads and other Clinical Pathway Leads, providing clinical leadership, developing clinical guidelines and protocols, driving forward service development, maintaining standards and ensuring the provision of up to date evidence based care.

*Support a wider team to build capacity and capability through work-based and inter-professional learning, while facilitating peer review processes to identify individual and team learning

*To provide expert clinical advice to the Leadership teams in Health and Local Authority (Education and Justice sectors) to support the development of strategy and the delivery of therapy services to children.

*To provide clinical advice, second opinions and support to other SLTs, Youth Offending team staff and the wider justice workforce.

*To contribute to interagency/multi-disciplinary team working and policy development, taking a lead where appropriate.

*Demonstrate team leadership, resilience and manage situations which are complex or unpredictable.

*To assume delegated tasks as requested by the Service Manager including leading working groups/policy development groups within an area of clinical expertise and representing the service in external groups and at meetings.

4. Research

*Lead new practice and offer service redesign solutions in an inter-professional/interagency context/environment to the benefit of client groups- working collaboratively with a range of resources and acting as a clinical role model to deliver care which is responsive to changing needs of agencies, networks and local populations.

*Work independently without support and to pro-actively initiate and develop effective multi-disciplinary relationships, fostering clarity of the SLT role within the teams to achieve productive working.

*Reflect on practice both individually and with peers/mentors to participate in multi-disciplinary service and team evaluation. As a result, demonstrate the impact of advanced clinical practice on service function, effectiveness and quality.

*Develop and implement clinical governance/audit- identify gaps in the evidence base, alerting appropriate individuals and organisations to these and how they might be addresses in a safe and pragmatic way.

3.3. Ad5 Administrative

*To be responsible for the security, care and maintenance of equipment ensuring standards of infection control and safety are maintained, including equipment loaned to others, in accordance with Trust policy.

*To ensure that risk assessments are completed and incidents reported and documented in a timely manner in accordance with Trust policy.

*To ensure that infection prevention and control procedures are followed by all staff within their area of responsibility

*To collect and provide accurate and timely activity data, information and statistics as required.

Qualifications

Essential

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy degree level qualification or equivalent
• Registered member of the Health and Care Professions Council
• Registered Member of Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists/
• Licence to Practice
• Evidence of maintenance of CPD in area of specialism
• Membership of relevant Special Interest Groups
• To operate at the levels of Advanced Practitioner indicated within this person specification
• To demonstrate study at Masters level or equivalent experience which is equivalent. This should encompass the capabilities of an Advanced Clinical Practitioner role and may include advanced training or qualifications relevant to the specialism.

Experience

Essential

• Experience in paediatric therapy, experience working independently with children from clinical pathway
• Experience of working with a broad range of paediatric clinical impairments and disorders using a range of assessment methods as appropriate.
• Experience assessing and working with young people aged 12 to 19 years with SLCN
• Experience of clinical supervision of students and others- auditing own and others' clinical practice, in order to act on the findings.
• Experience of developing and delivering training
• Experience of staff supervision

Additional Criteria

Essential

• Able to critically assess and address own learning needs and follow a personal development plan across the four pillars of advanced clinical practice.
• Support a wider team to build capacity and capability through work-based and inter-professional learning, while facilitating peer review processes to identify individual and team learning.
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal- supporting people in making decisions, planning care or seeking to make positive changes in a person-centred way.
• Demonstrates ability to be a good team member and assume leadership responsibilities working in partnership with individuals, families, carers.
• Excellent interpersonal skills -- including observation, listening and empathy skills. Engage with, appraise and respond to individuals' motivations, development stage and capacity and empower them to participate in decisions about their care, health and well-being.
• Highly developed non verbal communication skills
• Highly developed analytical and interpretive skills to deal with a range of individual presentations and complex situations using information from multiple sources.
• Highly developed auditory and perceptual skills
• Ability to transcribe speech phonetically
• Proficient in using a number of alternative and augmentative communication systems e.g. Makaton, symbols and signs, and PECS.
• Ability to reflect on practice both individually and with peers/mentors to participate in multi-disciplinary service and team evaluation. As a result, demonstrate the impact of advanced clinical practice on service function, effectiveness and quality.
• Excellent presentation skills, both written and verbal
• Prioritisation skills
• Good supervision skills
• Ability to lead new practice and offer service redesign solutions in an inter-professional/interagency context/environment to the benefit of client groups- working collaboratively with a range of resources and acting as a clinical role model to deliver care which is responsive to changing needs of agencies, networks and local populations.
• Ability to work independently without support and to pro-actively initiate and develop effective multi-disciplinary relationships, fostering clarity of the SLT role within the teams to achieve productive working.
• Self motivated, self starter, able to organise a large and varied work programme. Demonstrate team leadership, resilience and manage situations which are complex or unpredictable.
• Being flexible and adaptable at work in order to meet competing priorities
• Competent in use of IT including Microsoft packages
• Advanced knowledge of a broad range of assessment and treatment strategies relevant to a specialised caseload and an ability to compare and contrast relative benefits of a range of options- in order to modify interventions as required.
• Knowledge of current evidence base and application to practice-critically appraise current research, using the results to underpin practice and inform that of others.
• Clear understanding of speech and language therapy service role within the wider context of a child's education and other needs, as well as exercising professional judgement to manage risk appropriately in response to complex and unpredictable events.
• Knowledge of the Youth Justice system including terminology, pathways, procedures and assessments.
• Knowledge and application of professional standards & code of conduct
• An understanding of diversity and how it impacts on the Children's Therapy Service
• Ability to develop and implement clinical governance/audit- identify gaps in the evidence base, alerting appropriate individuals and organisations to these and how they might be addresses in a safe and pragmatic way.
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping
• Knowledge of relevant legislation e.g. Children's Act, Excellence for All Children, SEN Code of Practice, National Autism Plan etc.
• Criteria 5: Equality
• An understanding of equality within the workforce and how it can impact on this post.
• Criteria 6: Other
• Pleasant personality
• Demonstrate receptiveness to challenge and constructively challenge others, escalating concerns that affect the well-being of others when necessary.
• Facilitate collaborative links between clinical practice and research through networking with academic, clinical and other active researchers.
• Act as a role model, educator, supervisor, coach and mentor-seeking to instill and develop the confidence of others
• Motivated to work with a caseload of young people who can be challenging in behaviour and un-motivated.
• Supportive and approachable
• Self motivated, assertive, diplomatic and tactful
• Highly literate and numerate
• Sensitivity to the needs of a broad range of clients and their families
• Positive attitude towards disability and handicap
• Ability to sit for long periods in awkward positions on the floor or small seats
• Ability to carry numerous case files and therapy equipment from car to place of work frequently throughout the day
• Is able to legally work within the UK
• Is able to work with children or vulnerable adults
• Ability to travel daily for meetings across a range of sites in Southampton/Portsmouth/ Hampshire area and national.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).