Speech and Language Therapist - Bedford Community Team

Go back East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridge)

Speech and Language Therapist - Bedford Community Team

The closing date is 11 May 2026

Are you a newly qualified Speech and Language Therapist looking for a supportive start to your career?

We are recruiting Band 5 Speech and Language Therapists to join our Bedfordshire Children's Community Service. This is an exciting time to join us as we grow our service in line with national SEND reforms and local investment.

We are expanding our mainstream schools team and strengthening our Team Around the School model. This is a great opportunity to develop your skills in an education focused role with real impact.

You will:

• Build confidence working in mainstream school settings
• Support children with a range of speech, language and communication needs
• Work collaboratively with schools to embed strategies in everyday practice

You will contribute to a universal, targeted and specialist offer, helping to create sustainable outcomes for children and young people.

What we offer

• A supportive, experienced and friendly team
• Regular supervision and peer support
• Structured Band 5 preceptorship programme
• Opportunities for joint working and shadowing
• Access to CPD and clinical forums
• Opportunities to contribute to service development
• Flexible working where possible

We provide a structured and well supported transition into practice, helping you build confidence at your own pace, with clear opportunities for progression.

Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after

Main duties of the job

You will work within our mainstream schools team, supporting children and young people aged 5 18 with a range of speech, language and communication needs.

This includes:

• working directly with children and young people
• supporting school staff to embed strategies into everyday practice
• contributing to assessment and intervention planning
• being part of a collaborative team around the school model

About us

Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.

There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff - who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Job responsibilities

To undertake a range of assessments, both standardised and non standardised, taking account of medical, social and educational factors, in order to make a differential diagnosis.

To plan, deliver and evaluate intervention following professional guidelines and agreed service standards.

As part of that process, to be able to plan appropriate long term and short term goals, empowering families and settings to embed advice and support across the day and work towards closing the package of support.

To undertake administrative duties connected with the caseload including maintenance of case notes and provision of written reports, following service standards.

To ensure that all work is carried out in close collaboration with all those involved in children's care so that the approach to intervention and support is co ordinated and comprehensive.

To identify when there is a need for a second opinion, referring to senior colleagues or SLT specialists as appropriate.

To make onward referral as appropriate.

To deliver training to enhance the skills of the wider workforce around speech, language and communication.

To develop clinical skills and professional knowledge through experience, training and supervision.

To take part in the supervision of students with support.

To take part in supervision of the work of SLT Assistants and volunteers when required.

Person Specification Experience

• Experience (including placements) of working with children with speech, language and communication needs
• Experience of working as part of a multi disciplinary team
• Experience working in educational settings
• Experience contributing to training or supporting others

Qualifications and training

• SaLT Degree
• Other relevant CPD

Knowledge

• Understanding of speech, language and communication needs
• Awareness of assessment/intervention approaches
• Understanding of universal, targeted and specialist levels of support
• Awareness of safeguarding, SEND processes and clinical governance
• Understanding of EHCP processes

Skills

• Ability to assess and manage a clinical caseload with support
• Ability to work in partnership with education staff to support
• Ability to build positive relationships with children, families and professionals
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team
• Ability to deliver training or group work

Safeguarding

• Demonstrates understanding of safeguarding issues
• Can demonstrate how s/he has promoted 'best practice'

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.

East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust (Cambridge)

Depending on experience per annum, pro rata