Job Description

To apply for this role please email HR@Kennellaneschool.com

Kennel Lane School is a 'Total Communication' school, supporting young peoples' speech, language and communication as part of their individual need identified in their Education, Health and Care Plan and as part of the TALENTS Curriculum.

The post holder is an autonomous clinician, responsible for organising and managing a caseload of young people across the whole school site, with any additional outreach within the borough/trust as required, as directed by the headteacher.

The post holder is responsible for devising, running and delivering a comprehensive and highly specialist service to young people with special and complex needs (including but not limited to Autism Spectrum Condition, Down Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Cerebral Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment, Cerebral Palsy, and complex learning difficulties).

The post holder will run all levels of provision, including universal, targeted and specialist support, and they will upskill/ train educational colleagues through both formal and informal training, so that they too can deliver the school's universal and targeted offer.

The post holder will also support clinically with aspects of the School Development Plan and identified whole school priorities e.g., by delivering training, supporting with collating information, and writing reports for all young peoples' 'Learner Voice', in contribution for Section A of their EHCPs.

The post holder will liaise with educational colleagues in order to undertake joint planning of targets, production of progress reports and EHCP reviews (e.g., by recommending new outcomes/provision) and training. The post holder will also support with assessment/ evidence gathering and monitoring of progress over time with educational colleagues and the Senior Leadership team as appropriate.

The post holder will have knowledge of the school's TALENTS curriculum and the Preparation for Adulthood framework, in order to ensure that young peoples' communication skills are supported effectively throughout their duration at Kennel Lane School and into their transition to adulthood, and for when they transition out of Kennel Lane School.

The post holder will develop, plan and run the speech and language therapy service across the school, including both assessment and therapy for individual and groups of young people. This means that the post holder will be able to work autonomously at pace, as well as being effective at managing their time, workload and priorities.

The post holder will also work with the internal and external Multidisciplinary Team and be skilled in working in and liaising within a multidisciplinary and multi-agency environment, to provide training and support e.g. Internally with educational colleagues, the Support and Intervention Team, Family Support Workers, and with parents and carers; e.g. Externally with the NHS CYPIT Speech and Language Therapy team, and Berkshire Sensory Consortium; e.g. Places where outreach is required (respite services such as Larchwood and KIDS; and other local education settings in the trust/borough).

The post holder will have the ability to and be willing to work in a flexible way, including working at sites outside of Kennel Lane School and offering support remotely, to provide outreach and to also support young people at other sites/trusts, as required.

The post holder will regularly liaise with this Multidisciplinary Team, with the young person at the centre of all discussions and decisions, to enable joint working. The post holder will also be responsible for suggesting and implementing new and effective ways of working, and for engaging and fostering good professional relationships with other professionals in the wider service, in particular with other Speech and Language Therapists supporting the same young people, whom may be employed by other agencies. The post holder will also be responsible for the setting up and for the smooth running of a record keeping database for all young people at Kennel Lane School with speech, language and communication needs. The post holder will ensure that these records are GDPR compliant and stored in a manner that is consensual and confidential, but accessible by those within the internal Multidisciplinary Team, to enable joint working. This includes session notes, assessment write-ups, communication passports and 'Learner Voice'.

The post holder will bring highly specialist knowledge and employ highly specialist communication strategies, unique to each young person as appropriate. The post holder will have significantly detailed knowledge of the range of low- mid- and high-tech Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) systems available, and be responsible for assessing, selecting, seeking/applying for specialist funding, and implementing these systems, as well as supporting with the development of programmes and training within this highly specialist area.

The post holder will have an awareness of Physiotherapy/Occupational Therapy needs, such as the positioning and handling of young people with a range of physical needs, and the impact that their seating and posture may have on their communication skills. The post holder will also have a specialist interest and passion for neurodiversity, and have the ability to manage difficult situations, including those where there might be complex physical or mental health conditions, and/or challenging behaviours.

The post holder will provide clinical supervision, day-to-day line management and support to other colleagues both within the speech and language therapy team (namely, Speech and Language Therapy Assistant(s) and signpost them to opportunities for CPD and training to continue developing their own skillset, and also to wider educational colleagues (for example, class-based LSA's who require specialist support as part of their qualification to become a Lead LSA). The post holder will have excellent communication skills and the ability to empathise in order to support and work with carers and parents around their young person's special needs. They will be able to communicate and convey complex information effectively to carers, parents and professionals around them, effectively considering barriers to communication (e.g., culturally, with language, with their own additional needs, etc.).

The post holder's high level of expertise in the field of complex needs will ensure that they can reassure and provide confidence in young people, their parents and carers and other professionals. The post holder will also demonstrate good negotiation skills in working with other professionals in the team (for example, when in discussions with the NHS CYPIT Speech and Language Therapy team, teachers of the Hearing Impaired, and also Occupational Therapy) to ensure that the best package of support can be offered to the young people at Kennel Lane School.

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent

Pay: 41,000.00-47,000.00 per year

Expected hours: 37 per week

Benefits:

Company pension On-site parking
Education:

Diploma of Higher Education (preferred)
Work authorisation:

United Kingdom (preferred)
Work Location: In person