Job summary
Join our dynamic, friendly, and supportive Mainstream Therapies Team! We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic individual who can work with our Speech and Language Therapists in supporting children with communication needs. Your role will include working flexibly across mainstream primary schools in Islington. A key element of this post will be supporting therapists to complete first language assessments and working with bilingual families. A high level of fluency and competency in a language spoken frequently by families in Islington (either Somali, Turkish, Bengali, or Arabic) is therefore required. Please ensure you specify in your supporting statement which language/s you speak and your level of proficiency in order to be eligible to be considered for short-listing.
Main duties of the job
If you: o have a passion for and experience in working with children in education settings o are bilingual (either Somali, Turkish, Bengali, or Arabic) o are looking to further develop your knowledge and skills in working with children with a range of communication needs o are highly competent with IT, and o a passionate and self motivated individual who enjoys being part of a supportive team... ...We would love to hear from you!
Find out what it is like to work in our friendly, supportive teams which span hospital and community settings across North Central London, visit http://www.whittington.nhs.uk/CYPrecruitment (you may have to copy and paste this link into your browser) to hear from some of our current staff about why they chose to join and stay at Whittington Health.0
The post-holder will work from a central base, travelling out to mainstream primary schools in Islington, supporting therapists with assessment tasks, intervention programmes for children with speech, language and communication needs, interpreting, and delivering school training. You will work closely with therapists, families, and school staff, developing effective working partnerships.
The post-holder also has a role in leading on and creating inclusive therapy resources for the team. This involves proficiently using programmes such as Communicate in Print 3, PowerPoint, and Word plus others. The post holder also supports therapists with clinical admin as well as other clinical support tasks as required.
About us
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Role Responsibility:
- To be a member of the mainstream therapies team and share information with team members as directed and appropriate, keeping confidentiality at all times.
- Demonstrate ability to use a wide range of computer systems, reports and inputting data.
- Ensure that up-to-date written and electronic records are maintained in accordance with Trust standards with guidance from supervisor.
- Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of children and their families, and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
- Assist team members with liaising with other agencies involved in the childs care including: education, Social Services and Voluntary Services
- Form professional relationships with children, families and children centre staff and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
- Develop skills in alternative communication methods suitable for children with severe and complex needs and develop rapport e.g. Core Boards, Makaton.
- To use a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication skills and tools to communicate with children who are non-speaking, of a non English speaking background, requiring an interpreter, with a hearing impairment, with altered emotional states, with a cognitive/learning/behavioural disability.
- Report verbally to community and school therapists on the childs development and performance in therapeutic and functional skills.
- Liaise with other agencies involved in the childs care, including relatives and carers, as appropriate to the childs needs, as directed by team members
- Report effectively any issues or concerns to supervisor/line manager
- Persuade and motivate children to participate in therapy activities and reassure if required.
- Demonstrate effective communication over the telephone to parents/carers and external agencies (especially teachers and teaching assistants).
Clinical Responsibility: - Undertake specific individual or group programmes as assessed and directed by trained staff members, observing general behaviour, ability and response of the children, recording the information as requested and reporting to a supervisor. Settings could include clinic, home, or school.
- Assist in assessment and treatment, including in the child's first language, interpreting where necessary.
- Engage children in therapeutic activities to promote speech, language and communication development.
- Facilitate and participate in planned activities, seeking guidance if childs condition changes.
- Assist in the implementation of team member interventions including:
- Assist in the running of therapy groups
- Carry out therapy programmes as directed by SLT with children and young people
- Under supervision of a therapist, provide a range of treatments; instructing and guiding children to support them in achieving identified goals. To work towards goals identified by the child, family/carers, the treating therapist, education professionals and the MDT
- Implement therapy treatment plans
- Organise transport and schedule visits
- Adhere to the Trusts Policies and Procedures
- To assist in completing risk assessment of environment and safety under the guidance of senior team members following local and Trust policies
- Have a basic understanding of Moving and Handling Legislation and apply manual handling principles.
- Ensure that toys and play materials are kept clean, safe and secure.
- Highlighting the need for resources to aid the smooth running of clinical sessions
- To support professional staff in gathering evidence (including research database and website searches) and developing resources.
- Provide training or demonstrating teachers/schools, with the support and guidance of therapists
Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility
- Review and reflect own practice and performance through effective use of regular professional and operational supervision and appraisal.
- Participate in non-clinical induction, training and education of students and new assistants as directed by supervisor/line manager
Administrative Duties - To keep up to date records on clients following Service Policy.
- To be responsible for the maintenance of equipment under the guidance of qualified staff.
- To attend relevant staff and service meetings.
- To provide cover for administrative duties such as answering the telephone, photocopying and filing when requested.
Financial Responsibility
- Highlight stock issues to team members
- Ensure the security of stock and the safe use of equipment
- Responsibility for deep clean of toys and equipment used by team
Service Development and Improvement
- Implements the Policies and Procedures that have been determined by the Islington Additional Needs and Disability Service.
- To highlight service provision problems to line manager in order to identify unmet needs and gaps in service provision
- To undertake surveys or audits as directed by supervisor/line manager
- Ensure that work areas are well maintained are comply with Health and Safety Guidelines, ensuring the safe use of equipment, cleaning and storage of materials
Responsibility for Dealing with Difficult Situations
- To regularly deal with emotional circumstances with children and families to promote achievement of goals with close guidance and support
- To regularly work with children with complex emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.
- To identify and report concerns regarding Child Protection issues
- To be able to complete required work load within time frames and deadlines set by line manager/supervisor, which may be stressful at times
- To deal with children and their parents/carers with a variety of emotional conditions e.g. depression, anxiety, aggression, frustration, apathy, and cognitive/learning/behavioural disabilities and mental illness.
- To deal sensitively with clients and their carers who may be distressed.
Physical Working Conditions and Environment
- Ability to work in occasionally unpleasant conditions with odours, occasional body fluids and confined areas
- Working with children or parents/carers/family members who may display aggressive or abusive behaviour.
Knowledge, Training and Education
- To take part in a structured induction programme, aimed at identifying learning needs and developing competencies in working with a wide range of therapists.
- Demonstrate a basic level of understanding of the effects of medical conditions on functioning
- Have a basic understanding of the Moving and Handling Legislation and apply manual handling principles in best practice
- To participate in a designated aspect of induction training and education of students, work experience and other relevant staff.
- Attend all mandatory training set by the trust and the department
- To demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and available development opportunities, recording learning outcomes in a portfolio (CPD)
- To ensure that mandatory training is kept current and up-to-date
- Undertake relevant activities to meet training objectives identified with supervisor
Job description
Job responsibilities
Role Responsibility:
- To be a member of the mainstream therapies team and share information with team members as directed and appropriate, keeping confidentiality at all times.
- Demonstrate ability to use a wide range of computer systems, reports and inputting data.
- Ensure that up-to-date written and electronic records are maintained in accordance with Trust standards with guidance from supervisor.
- Respect the individuality, values, cultural and religious diversity of children and their families, and contribute to the provision of a service sensitive to these needs.
- Assist team members with liaising with other agencies involved in the childs care including: education, Social Services and Voluntary Services
- Form professional relationships with children, families and children centre staff and communicate with them in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.
- Develop skills in alternative communication methods suitable for children with severe and complex needs and develop rapport e.g. Core Boards, Makaton.
- To use a variety of verbal and non-verbal communication skills and tools to communicate with children who are non-speaking, of a non English speaking background, requiring an interpreter, with a hearing impairment, with altered emotional states, with a cognitive/learning/behavioural disability.
- Report verbally to community and school therapists on the childs development and performance in therapeutic and functional skills.
- Liaise with other agencies involved in the childs care, including relatives and carers, as appropriate to the childs needs, as directed by team members
- Report effectively any issues or concerns to supervisor/line manager
- Persuade and motivate children to participate in therapy activities and reassure if required.
- Demonstrate effective communication over the telephone to parents/carers and external agencies (especially teachers and teaching assistants).
Clinical Responsibility: - Undertake specific individual or group programmes as assessed and directed by trained staff members, observing general behaviour, ability and response of the children, recording the information as requested and reporting to a supervisor. Settings could include clinic, home, or school.
- Assist in assessment and treatment, including in the child's first language, interpreting where necessary.
- Engage children in therapeutic activities to promote speech, language and communication development.
- Facilitate and participate in planned activities, seeking guidance if childs condition changes.
- Assist in the implementation of team member interventions including:
- Assist in the running of therapy groups
- Carry out therapy programmes as directed by SLT with children and young people
- Under supervision of a therapist, provide a range of treatments; instructing and guiding children to support them in achieving identified goals. To work towards goals identified by the child, family/carers, the treating therapist, education professionals and the MDT
- Implement therapy treatment plans
- Organise transport and schedule visits
- Adhere to the Trusts Policies and Procedures
- To assist in completing risk assessment of environment and safety under the guidance of senior team members following local and Trust policies
- Have a basic understanding of Moving and Handling Legislation and apply manual handling principles.
- Ensure that toys and play materials are kept clean, safe and secure.
- Highlighting the need for resources to aid the smooth running of clinical sessions
- To support professional staff in gathering evidence (including research database and website searches) and developing resources.
- Provide training or demonstrating teachers/schools, with the support and guidance of therapists
Leadership and Staff Management Responsibility
- Review and reflect own practice and performance through effective use of regular professional and operational supervision and appraisal.
- Participate in non-clinical induction, training and education of students and new assistants as directed by supervisor/line manager
Administrative Duties - To keep up to date records on clients following Service Policy.
- To be responsible for the maintenance of equipment under the guidance of qualified staff.
- To attend relevant staff and service meetings.
- To provide cover for administrative duties such as answering the telephone, photocopying and filing when requested.
Financial Responsibility
- Highlight stock issues to team members
- Ensure the security of stock and the safe use of equipment
- Responsibility for deep clean of toys and equipment used by team
Service Development and Improvement
- Implements the Policies and Procedures that have been determined by the Islington Additional Needs and Disability Service.
- To highlight service provision problems to line manager in order to identify unmet needs and gaps in service provision
- To undertake surveys or audits as directed by supervisor/line manager
- Ensure that work areas are well maintained are comply with Health and Safety Guidelines, ensuring the safe use of equipment, cleaning and storage of materials
Responsibility for Dealing with Difficult Situations
- To regularly deal with emotional circumstances with children and families to promote achievement of goals with close guidance and support
- To regularly work with children with complex emotional, social and behavioural difficulties.
- To identify and report concerns regarding Child Protection issues
- To be able to complete required work load within time frames and deadlines set by line manager/supervisor, which may be stressful at times
- To deal with children and their parents/carers with a variety of emotional conditions e.g. depression, anxiety, aggression, frustration, apathy, and cognitive/learning/behavioural disabilities and mental illness.
- To deal sensitively with clients and their carers who may be distressed.
Physical Working Conditions and Environment
- Ability to work in occasionally unpleasant conditions with odours, occasional body fluids and confined areas
- Working with children or parents/carers/family members who may display aggressive or abusive behaviour.
Knowledge, Training and Education
- To take part in a structured induction programme, aimed at identifying learning needs and developing competencies in working with a wide range of therapists.
- Demonstrate a basic level of understanding of the effects of medical conditions on functioning
- Have a basic understanding of the Moving and Handling Legislation and apply manual handling principles in best practice
- To participate in a designated aspect of induction training and education of students, work experience and other relevant staff.
- Attend all mandatory training set by the trust and the department
- To demonstrate ongoing personal development through participation in internal and available development opportunities, recording learning outcomes in a portfolio (CPD)
- To ensure that mandatory training is kept current and up-to-date
- Undertake relevant activities to meet training objectives identified with supervisor
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Range of short courses relevant to client group, eg Makaton 1; Report Writing; Attention Builders
- Basic Word, Excel, Access
Desirable
- NVQ or equivalent in relevant field, eg diagnostics and therapeutics
- Specialist computer software eg WWS; boardmaker, Communicate in Print 3
Previous experience
Essential
- Working in a clinical role as a teaching assistant, therapy assistant or co-worker
- Making and preparing resources
- Working as part of a team
- Administrative tasks, including record keeping and note writing, and data collection
- Following goals set by speech and language therapist, other professional or teacher, and monitoring goals and modifying therapy / learning activities accordingly
Desirable
- Participating in delivering training and presentations
Skills
Essential
- Good written communication skills
- Fluent in a language used frequently in Islington (such as Somali, Bengali, Turkish, or Arabic)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Range of short courses relevant to client group, eg Makaton 1; Report Writing; Attention Builders
- Basic Word, Excel, Access
Desirable
- NVQ or equivalent in relevant field, eg diagnostics and therapeutics
- Specialist computer software eg WWS; boardmaker, Communicate in Print 3
Previous experience
Essential
- Working in a clinical role as a teaching assistant, therapy assistant or co-worker
- Making and preparing resources
- Working as part of a team
- Administrative tasks, including record keeping and note writing, and data collection
- Following goals set by speech and language therapist, other professional or teacher, and monitoring goals and modifying therapy / learning activities accordingly
Desirable
- Participating in delivering training and presentations
Skills
Essential
- Good written communication skills
- Fluent in a language used frequently in Islington (such as Somali, Bengali, Turkish, or Arabic)
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
