Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

Job Introduction

This role has a competitive starting salary of £40,761 per annum (including market supplement), based on 36 hours per week across 42 weeks a year (equivalent to a Band 6 NHS post) pro-rata to £43,996. Part-time hours will also be considered.

Are you an enthusiastic qualified Speech and Language Therapist with more than two years experience who would like to develop your skills in Autism? If this is you, we can offer an exciting opportunity to join our skilled, supportive, and solution-focused team.

Rewards and Benefits

• We pay your RCSLT membership and HCPC fees
• Flexible working around core school hours, with mobile and agile working solutions
• Belonging to a team of students, Therapists and Assistants led by a Therapies Manager who is an SLT
• Comprehensive clinical supervision programme including regular 1:1 meetings with your line manager, a buddy, an extensive in-house training programme and formal external training opportunities, access to clinical effectiveness groups, case study groups, specialist focus groups (like Placement Educator, or Leadership skills), termly whole-team study days, and support to join and attend CEN’s relating to practice
• Opportunities to develop management skills by taking on line management of Assistants or experienced PS8/Band 5 Therapists and taking students. Training and support is provided
• Generous local government salary-related pension and the option to join the car lease scheme
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• Up to 5 days of carers leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave

You can find further information about other financial benefits available to you including professional fees, pension contributions and much more in the Total Reward Statement attached at the bottom of this advert.

About the Team

The Speech and Language Therapy Service is part of Surrey County Council’s local offer to support the special educational needs and disabilities of children and young people within mainstream schools and specialist provision.  This Service is part of the Inclusion & Additional Needs Team in Surrey’s Children, Families and Lifelong Learning Directorate, and as such works collaboratively with other teams such as Educational Psychology, Specialist Teachers and SEN teams.

The Surrey SLT service is a large team (over 150) of both qualified Therapists and non-qualified Therapy Assistants. We have excellent supervision and CPD models plus a rolling in-house training programme; we are committed to continuous learning and development. We champion our team and one of our Therapists was voted People’s Choice in the Surrey Stars Awards, receiving over 500 votes showing just how well the service is regarded in the organisation!

We are a forward thinking service and were involved with the RCSLT and Reading University around the dysphagia competences linked to student placements.

We aim to deliver the right support at the right time, through assessment and intervention; equipping families and professionals with the skills and resources to work together to support children with SLCN. We offer universal, targeted and specialist support for children, families, and the school workforce; working with children and young people with EHCPs and those at SEN support following Surrey’s Graduated Response. We also have a specialist dysphagia service and specialist deaf service.

About the Role

The North East Surrey Speech and Language Therapy team is looking for a Lead Therapist to join the team at Linden Bridge School in Worcester Park, for children with complex social communication needs. You will work as part of a small team, including Therapists and Assistants, with support from a Team Lead with highly specialist skills, and will have the opportunity to develop line management and leadership skills. This post will be combined with your other clinical interests, including mainstream or dysphagia work.

Your main duties in the role of Speech and Language Therapist will include:

• Clinical decision making in conjunction with school staff around the level of support needed to achieve the best possible outcome for the children and young people on your defined caseload.
• Working with speech and language therapy Assistants, setting targets for the children and young people they are supporting, and monitoring the delivery and outcomes of their work.
• Assessment, advice and intervention for children with a range of speech, language and communication needs within your caseload. For children and young people on your caseload who are considered to have complex needs and where a joint multidisciplinary approach is essential to achieving the best outcome for these children and young people, you will be supported by your clinical team leader.
• Supporting junior members of the team, line managing others and taking on students.
• Contributing to and delivering training for schools and others in the team.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position your CV and answers to the questions below will clearly evidence:

• A degree in Speech and Language Therapy with a minimum of two years’ experience working as an SLT, with completed NQP competencies
• HCPC and RCSLT registration, with permission to work in the UK
• A working knowledge of the English education system including the National Curriculum and SEND code of practice
• Experience of supporting and training others including newly qualified Therapists, Assistants, students and work experience placements
• Evidence of a range of evidence based interventions used to support children and young people

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and Therapy staff will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel as required. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

As part of your application you will be asked to answer the following questions:

1. Are you registered with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)
2. Do you have working knowledge of the English education system including the National Curriculum and SEND code of practice? Please tell us more about this including how have you have gained this knowledge.
3. Please briefly describe a speech and language strategy or approach that you have supported staff or children to successfully use in the classroom. How did you measure its success?

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. For an informal discussion please contact Melissa Sartin at melissa.sartin@surreycc.gov.uk.

The closing date for this advert is 08/06/2025 although we will be looking at applications as they come in and may interview candidates in advance of the closing date, therefore we encourage an early application. Interviews will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s and Adults’ Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Our Values

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.