Job summary
Due to additional investment in to our Children's Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) service, we would like to offer you a fabulous opportunity to come and join one of our Locality SLT teams as Band 4 SLT Assistants (SLTAs).
We are looking for creative and enthusiastic SLTAs to join our well established SLT service, and wehave sessions available in our community and schools teams, in both mainstream and specialist settings. Our posts are across Hertfordshire and our key centres are centrally based in Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Watford, Hertford, Waltham Cross, Hatfield and Stevenage.
The SLT service in Hertfordshire is long established, and we have a reputation for being forward thinking and committed to ongoing service improvement. We embrace change and are driven by the evidence base, neuro-affirming approaches and functional, communication friendly practices.
Our service is jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings.We have excellent joint working relationships with our partners in education and a wide range of stakeholders, and we work in partnership with them to deliver interventions at Universal, Targeted and Specialist levels across Hertfordshire. This successful working relationship has helped contribute towards us being awarded with new investment.
*Proposed interview date: 16-Oct-2025*
Main duties of the job
The successful applicants will assist SLTs in clinics, mainstream & specialist schools. The role involves delivering individual programmes, group working, developing resources, using IT & undertaking some administrative duties. You will have opportunity to work with teachers, teaching assistants and health visitors, and to work alongside SLTs and other assistants.
Applicants should have knowledge of normal child development alongside experience of working with children, including those with communication difficulties. Experience of working with, and using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is beneficial. We are looking for applicants who are creative, flexible, possessing good organisational and communication skills and with an ability to work on their own initiative.
We are a friendly and supportive service and have an excellent reputation for the support we provide our staff. We offer:
- A thorough induction period where you will have the opportunity to observe and shadow your team
- Access to regular group clinical supervision and line management supervision
- Informal support from a peer/buddy
- Access to a range of professional development learning opportunities e.g. bitesize tutorials
- A well-established appraisal system
- Opportunities to work alongside other therapists/assistants to deliver evidence based episodes of care to children/young people
- Opportunities to develop specialist skills as a link assistant
- Opportunities to develop your career
About us
Thank You for Considering a Role at Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust.
We're delighted that you're exploring a career with HCT. As an organisation, we're committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and rewarding work environment.
At HCT, we put patients, their families, and carers at the heart of everything we do. Our vision is simple yet powerful: Outstanding Services and Healthier Communities. Our dedicated staff take pride in being Innovative, Caring, and Agile, working together to turn this vision into reality.
Working with us comes with a host of benefits designed to support your wellbeing and work-life balance:
- Generous annual leave(27 days rising to 33 with long service)
- Flexible working arrangements to help balance personal/ professional life, including up to 5 days of carers leave (pro rata)
- Employee Assistance Programmeoffering 24/7 confidential support for personal or work-related issues
- Cycle to Work/Car Lease Schemesto make your commute healthier or easier
- Blue Light Card/NHS Discounts on a wide range of shopping, holidays, and services
- Health and wellbeing support, including free flu jabs, Physiotherapy referrals, eye care vouchers, etc
- Occupational Pension Schemewith competitive benefits
- Enhanced sick payabove statutory entitlements
We celebrate diversity and actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds, ages, and communities to apply.
If there's high interest in this role, we may close applications earlier than the advertised deadline.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see Job Description attached, which details the responsibilities within this post.
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (HCT) provides integrated Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county. Our service provides opportunities for collaborative working, joint training and shared learning amongst each profession, and we are jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings.
You will be joining an innovative and agile service, committed to delivering high quality care and transforming lives and you will work as part of a locality team, meeting the needs of CYP with speech, language and communication needs.
Successful candidates will need to be enthusiastic and motivated. Good communication and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player but also be able to work autonomously.
If you are keen to be part of our well established, dynamic and friendly team we would love to hear from you. Please also look at our website for information about our service.
Applicants wanting to work full time or part time will be considered. A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
In addition to the basic salary, this post attracts a High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of basic salary subject to a minimum payment of £1,303 and a maximum payment of £2,198 per annum pro rata (pro rata where applicable and dependent on base location).
Whilst it is not a legal requirement, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.
Word versions of documents are available if needed to allow for any adaptations to be made i.e. font, colour, background, convert to Read Aloud.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see Job Description attached, which details the responsibilities within this post.
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust (HCT) provides integrated Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services for families across the county. Our service provides opportunities for collaborative working, joint training and shared learning amongst each profession, and we are jointly commissioned by health and education, allowing us to provide a seamless pathway of care from early years through to schools, specialist provisions and further education settings.
You will be joining an innovative and agile service, committed to delivering high quality care and transforming lives and you will work as part of a locality team, meeting the needs of CYP with speech, language and communication needs.
Successful candidates will need to be enthusiastic and motivated. Good communication and organisational skills are essential. You must be a team player but also be able to work autonomously.
If you are keen to be part of our well established, dynamic and friendly team we would love to hear from you. Please also look at our website for information about our service.
Applicants wanting to work full time or part time will be considered. A full valid driving licence and access to a car to use regularly for business purposes is essential (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010).
In addition to the basic salary, this post attracts a High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of basic salary subject to a minimum payment of £1,303 and a maximum payment of £2,198 per annum pro rata (pro rata where applicable and dependent on base location).
Whilst it is not a legal requirement, Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust encourages and supports all staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.
Word versions of documents are available if needed to allow for any adaptations to be made i.e. font, colour, background, convert to Read Aloud.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to GCSE standard in English and Maths
- Documented evidence of formal knowledge and training to NVQ level 3 or equivalent
- Documented evidence of training and knowledge in child development and childhood health conditions
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Describe your experience of working with children and young people in health, education or community settings
- Describe any experience you have in supporting therapy, care or education programmes under professional guidance
- Describe any experience you have in working with other professionals to support a child/young person
- What is your understanding of confidentiality and information governance
Desirable
- Knowledge of Makaton, or similar, signing systems
Skills
Essential
- Tell us about your communication skills and how you use these in your every day work
- Give an example of how you have adapted your communication in order to work effectively with children, families or professionals
- Describe your IT skills
- Tell us about training you have been on that has helped to develop your skills
- Tell us about your ability to undertake delegated tasks
- Describe how you manage your workload and prioritise tasks when working independently
- What is your experience of supporting others, e.g. students, peers
Driving
Essential
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Educated to GCSE standard in English and Maths
- Documented evidence of formal knowledge and training to NVQ level 3 or equivalent
- Documented evidence of training and knowledge in child development and childhood health conditions
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Describe your experience of working with children and young people in health, education or community settings
- Describe any experience you have in supporting therapy, care or education programmes under professional guidance
- Describe any experience you have in working with other professionals to support a child/young person
- What is your understanding of confidentiality and information governance
Desirable
- Knowledge of Makaton, or similar, signing systems
Skills
Essential
- Tell us about your communication skills and how you use these in your every day work
- Give an example of how you have adapted your communication in order to work effectively with children, families or professionals
- Describe your IT skills
- Tell us about training you have been on that has helped to develop your skills
- Tell us about your ability to undertake delegated tasks
- Describe how you manage your workload and prioritise tasks when working independently
- What is your experience of supporting others, e.g. students, peers
Driving
Essential
- Hold a full, valid, UK driving licence and have access to a car to use for business purposes (unless you have a disability as defined by the Equality Act 2010)
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.
