Experienced Speech and Language Therapist in Hungerford

Chatterbug Limited is a National Social Enterprise providing a range of Speech and Language Therapy services. We believe in providing high-quality, evidence-based input that provides real results.

The Chatterbug Way

At the core of our service, we have four values that form our Chatterbug Constitution and guide how we conduct ourselves. These are:

• Open
• Connected
• Dependable

Embedded in these values, we follow a framework of behaviours that impact our client experience, our progress and continuous improvement, performance, culture and staff well-being. These behaviours are as follows:

• Innovative & Knowledgeable
  • Demonstrates creativity in solving problems.
  • Brings forward new ideas or methods to improve operations.
  • Displays a strong understanding of industry trends and best practices.
• Respectful
  • Treats others with dignity and fairness.
  • Listens actively and values diverse perspectives.
  • Works effectively in teams, encouraging input from others.
  • Builds strong relationships with colleagues, clients, and partners.
  • Supports team members in achieving shared goals.
• Resilient
  • Responds well to challenges and setbacks.
  • Shows persistence in the face of obstacles.
  • Maintains focus and positivity under pressure.
• Customer Focused
  • Prioritises client needs and delivers excellent customer service.
  • Anticipates and resolves customer issues proactively.
  • Tailors solutions to meet client expectations.
• Lead by Example
  • Acts with integrity and professionalism.
  • Models desired behaviours for team members, including the consistent use of positive language.
  • Takes initiative to drive progress and uphold standards.
• Flexible
  • Adapts to changing priorities and demands.
  • Remains open to new approaches and solutions.
  • Manages uncertainty and ambiguity well.
• Curious
  • Actively seeks out new knowledge and learning opportunities.
  • Questions assumptions and explores different perspectives.
  • Shows a passion for continuous improvement.
• Results Oriented
  • Focuses on achieving tangible outcomes.
  • Demonstrates a strong work ethic to meet or exceed targets.
  • Holds themselves accountable for delivering results.
  • Demonstrates an understanding of the social enterprise model.
  • Balances business goals with the organisation’s mission to create positive societal impact.
  • Makes decisions with sustainability and long-term value in mind.

Job Purpose

The successful person will deliver a high quality, evidence based Speech and Language Therapy service fully embedded within school settings. Working closely with education staff and families, the Senior School-Based SLT will provide specialist clinical input, leadership and guidance while remaining hands-on in day-to-day delivery. This role carries senior clinical responsibility and contributes to service quality and development, but does not include formal line management.

Brief Job Description

• To independently manage and deliver a specialist Speech and Language Therapy service within school settings.
• To provide senior clinical leadership, advice and second opinions within the service.
• To contribute to service quality, consistency and development in line with Chatterbug standards.
• To build strong, collaborative relationships with schools, families and professionals, including where appropriate supporting individual children through alternative or supplementary service arrangements delivered in line with Chatterbug policies.
• To represent the Chatterbug Way in all aspects of practice.

Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

• To assess, diagnose and provide support for children with a range of SLCN including complex needs.
• Deliver highly specialist, evidence-based assessment and intervention within school environments.
• Provide specialist advice on optimising communication environments, considering the needs of children, families and education staff.
• To contribute highly specialist knowledge to multi and uni-disciplinary teams to ensure a client-focused assessment and approach to treatment.
• To provide highly specialist assessment and advice on optimising the client’s communicative environment, taking into consideration the communication skills of parents/guardians, carers and other professionals.
• Contribute to EHCPs, annual reviews and multi-agency planning as required.
• Demonstrate clinical effectiveness through the use of outcome measures and evidence-based practice.

Senior Clinical Leadership

• Act as a senior clinical presence within the school-based service.
• Provide specialist advice, mentoring and second opinions to other therapists and colleagues where appropriate.
• Support consistency and quality assurance across school-based provision.
• Contribute to identifying service gaps and propose practical solutions.

Communication

• Communicate complex clinical information clearly and sensitively to children, families and professionals.
• Produce high-quality written reports reflecting specialist assessment, analysis and recommendations.
• To provide highly specialist verbal and written advice and programmes to parents/guardians, carers and other professionals regarding the management and care of children – these will be accessible to a range of audiences and easy to understand.
• To ensure that clients/parents/teaching staff are involved in the planning and prioritisation of the treatment plans.
• To contribute to legal documents such as Education Health and Care Plans, Individual Education Plans and Annual Reviews as appropriate – and support other staff in the development of these skills.
• To maintain up-to-date and accurate case notes in line with RCSLT professional standards and service policies.

Training and Support

• To develop and deliver specialist training to others in a wide range of areas, disorders, behavioural, emotional, and social difficulties and special needs.
• To demonstrate the ability to target training appropriately to the needs of course participants.
• To demonstrate the ability to reflect on and evaluate training provided.
• To have advanced skills in motivation and coaching.

Clinical Governance Requirements

• To gather statistical data punctually.
• Participate in clinical governance, audit and service evaluation activities as required.
• To undertake Clinical Governance/audit projects within the local service as required.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding, SEN processes and relevant legislation.

Continuing Professional Development

• To identify personal/professional development evidenced by a Personal Development Plan/Professional Portfolio developed within an appraisal framework, including objectives.
• To demonstrate a passion and commitment to the profession through self-guided study.
• To participate in individual performance review, ensuring that the objectives set reflect the service and trust plans, including objectives relevant for SLCN.
• To attend relevant special interest groups, specialist short courses and advanced training to develop and maintain skills and knowledge as required.
• To demonstrate knowledge of and adhere to RCSLT Professional and Local Clinical Guidelines and develop local guidance in a specialist area for the department.
• To demonstrate knowledge of, and adherence to RCSLT Professional and Local Clinical Guidelines and best practice.
• To take responsibility for maintaining and continually developing professional skills and knowledge in SLCN.

Business Development

• To possess advanced relationship-building and networking skills, which will enable you to form connections in health, education and other relevant sectors.
• To promote and raise awareness of Chatterbug and the services we provide, and represent the organisation at a local/national level.
• To identify opportunities to help support the growth/development of the organisation by bringing in new business and reducing costs where appropriate.
• To support the business in measuring the impact and value of the service and implementing service business improvement targets.

Responsibility for Client Care and Contact with Carers

• To demonstrate the well-developed ability to manage people with communication disorders and challenging behaviour, including the application of appropriate management strategies.
• To work closely with clients, carers and other professionals to negotiate and agree on client management.
• To demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and colleagues, ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly where significant barriers to understanding exist.
• To respond sensitively at all times, particularly when imparting potentially distressing information regarding the nature of the clinical difficulties and their implications.
• To demonstrate expert skills in motivating clients, carers and other professionals to engage in the therapeutic process.
• To demonstrate expert skills in managing conflict within the clinical specialist area.
• To foster productive relationships with others who have challenging communication difficulties and who may be under stress.
• To employ counselling skills with parents and clients with highly complex needs.
• To adapt practice to meet individual client’s circumstances, including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.

Freedom to Act

• Work autonomously within agreed professional and organisational frameworks.
• Manage a complex caseload independently within school settings.
• Exercise professional judgement while recognising personal and professional boundaries.
• To provide leadership within one's own specialist area.
• To be accountable for one's own professional action and recognise one's own professional boundaries, seeking support as appropriate.
• To deal with initial complaints sensitively, avoiding escalation where possible, in line with Organisational policy.

This job description acts only as a guide and is not an exhaustive list. This role may be allocated additional tasks in line with the business needs and developments.