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Job summary

Main area
Speech and Language Therapy
Grade
Band 3
Contract
Fixed term: 10 months (until 26/05/26)
Hours
Part time - 29.5 hours per week (4 days per week)
Job ref
364-A-9219
Employer
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Lighthouse Child Development Centre/Central Canvey Primary Care Centre/Leigh Primary Care Centre
Town
Southend
Salary
£24,937 - £26,598 per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
18/08/2025 08:00

Employer heading

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Speech & Language Therapy Assistant (Complex needs & community)

Band 3

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk. 

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive. 

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years. 

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.  

Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

We are currently looking to recruit a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant to join our dynamic and enthusiastic paediatric team working delivering speech and language therapy interventions for children with complex needs (including ASD) and developmental speech and language delay/disorder.

Based across three sites (Lighthouse Child Development Centre, Leigh Primary Care Centre and Central Canvey Primary Care Centre) you will join a team of SLTs and SLT assistants to deliver a range of programmes/interventions to support the speech, language and communication development of children and young people aged 0 - 18. The role may also include attending local Special Needs Schools to deliver demonstration and direct therapy for pupils under the direction of a qualified SLT.

The children and young people supported will have complex needs (such as learning disability, physical disability, Cerebral Palsy and genetic conditions impacting on their communication) or diagnosed/suspected Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or in the community developmental speech/language delay/disorders

The post is across four days (1 day each at Central Canvey Primary Care Centre and Leigh Primary Care Centre and 2 days at the Lighthouse Child Development Centre).

You will receive all necessary training to deliver programmes/interventions from the SLT you work alongside and from the very experienced SLT Assistants already in post across the service.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for delivering packages of intervention with children and young people with ASD/Complex/speech and/or language delay at clinic bases and also in a local Special Needs School. You will have direct supervision from a qualified Speech and Language Therapist who will set the intervention targets that you will be working on with the children you see.

We have excellent links with other professionals within the health service and education and robust clinical supervision and support networks in place. The Lighthouse Child Development Centre is a multi agency centre and therefore close liaison with other professions such as Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Audiology and community Paediatricians is achieved.

Working for our organisation

EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;

•             Season Ticket Loans

•             NHS discounts for staff

•             Excellent Training facilities and opportunities

•             Buying and Selling annual leave scheme

•             The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas

•             Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work

•             Day One Flexible Employer

Join our Staff bank

What is Staff Bank?

Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.

All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.

If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Under the supervision of a qualified Speech and Language Therapist the post holder will manage their own diary to offer direct therapy sessions with children/young people at the three work bases and local Special needs schools. This will involve liaising with parents/carers and other professionals support the child or young person

Person specification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Recent experience of working with preschool children (within last 2 years)
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working with preschool children (over 2 years ago)

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Relevant child care qualification
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of child care but no formal qualification

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Relevant experience working with children and/or young people with complex needs and/or ASD
Desirable criteria
  • Evidence of observation of work with children/young people with complex needs/ASD without direct experience

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Essex Family Friendly Employers

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Joanne Page
Job title
Principal Speech and Language Therapist
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07814377561
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