Speech & Language Therapist

Description

Junior Speech & Language Therapist

Job Description

Type: Permanent

Department: Whole School

Line Manager: SENCo

Functional Reporting: N/A

________________________________________________________________________________

Rationale

The Hamilton International School (THIS) provides specialist teaching and therapy for students whose primary need is Speech, Behaviour, Language and Communication. Some pupils are also on the autistic spectrum and have high level sensory needs.

The Junior Speech & Language Therapist priority is to provide clinically effective, person centred, and evidence based Speech & Language therapy assessment and intervention to students at The Hamilton International School. THE Speech &Language Therapist will also provide support and training to all education staff regarding Speech &Language therapy interventions.

JOB PURPOSE AND SCOPE:

• To provide clinically effective, person centered, and evidence based therapy, assessment and intervention to children at the Hamilton International School.
• To provide support and training to all education staff with regard to S&L therapy interventions.

FUNCTIONAL LINKS:

The S&L Therapist will be expected to work in collaboration with allied professionals and will need to maintain links with a variety of bodies. These will include:

• Students and their parents/carers and advocates
• School staff
• Other professionals working with the students
• Relevant Community Services

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assess, screen, and evaluate students and effectively share results with parents and educational staff, and participate in the eligibility determination process in accordance with school requirements and best practice.
• Providing high quality direct speech-language therapy services to students according to students' Individual Education Plans.
• Conducting assessments, analysing results, and writing reports to determine strengths and concerns in areas of speech, voice, fluency, pragmatics, language, and oral motor skills.
• Developing IEPs that are SMART and strength-based as well as child and family centered for overall educational improvement.
• Ensuring evaluations, IEPs and service delivery are aligned with school guidelines.
• Assisting and guiding teachers in observing, describing, and referring suspected and identified speech and language delays/disorders.
• Provide consultative services for school staff by sharing and demonstrating specific techniques and working with school teams to facilitate relevant and consistent interventions for targeted students.
• Communicate and collaborate with parents and the school community for the purpose of fostering individual student success and growth while engaging the families in the therapy program.
• Maintain and submit information/reports including student progress for all students
• Share with other staff members the responsibility for school activities and student supervision.
• Communicating and coordinating with the SENCO to ensure school mission, philosophy, and procedures are embraced.
• Keeping abreast of best practices in speech and language therapy and language development.
• Contributing productively to the school as a whole.

CLINICAL

• To use clinical reasoning skills, to analyse and interpret assessment results in order to set appropriate therapy goals and outcome measures.
• To monitor, evaluate and modify intervention in order to measure progress and ensure effectiveness of intervention.
• To provide individual or small group therapy, as required.
• To liaise with all team members and family/carers to provide a coordinated approach and ensure occupational therapy treatment is integrated into the student's targets that support learning and skills for daily living. This could include home visits and monitoring phone calls.
• To contribute to and / or provide training to both school staff and parents.
• To work closely with the SEN team, including the occupational therapist, to ensure provision is child centered and the environment enables them to realise their potential and maximise their academic, social, physical and emotional development.
• To develop and monitor SaLT programmes implemented by the Special Education Teachers and Learning assistants.
• To support, advise and supervise the same.
• To assess for, advise and order specialist equipment/software being aware of financial implications and restrictions in liaison with reporting relationships.
• To attend school –arranged meetings for children, including IEP meetings, reviews and parent evenings.
• To use IT and other alternative methods of communication to overcome barriers to communication e.g. simple clear language, Makaton, symbols, visuals and objects.

ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENT

• To manage a clinical caseload and time effectively, prioritizing work as required.
• To complete and maintain accurate treatment records in accordance with the Standards of Practice set by THIS.
• To write professional reports to be shared at review meetings, and to attend review meetings where appropriate.

PROFESSIONAL

• To be accountable for own professional action and recognise own professional boundaries, seeking advice where appropriate.
• To be aware of the sensitivity required to work closely, effectively and in a professional manner with our students, parents/ carers and other professionals.
• To respect the confidentiality, individuality, values and cultural and religious diversity of pupils.
• To undertake school induction programmes and continued professional development (CPD), including child protection and safeguarding, health and safety and risk management training.
• To participate in staff meetings, department meetings and liaison meetings with other professionals.
• To promote awareness of the role of S&L therapy within the school and home community.
• To maintain personal development through use of off- site and in-house training, contact and involvement with relevant special interest groups, attendance of CPD, and review of literature as required.
• To maintain own clinical professional development by keeping abreast of new developments within the profession and ensure that practice is based on best available evidence.
• To review and reflect on own practice and performance through effective use of professional and operational supervision.
• To work within professional standards as stipulated in the relevant Code of Conduct.

Health and Safety

• Emphasizes the importance of safety in all areas of the curriculum, communicating to the pupils the importance of a responsible attitude towards personal safety, the safety of others and respect for The Hamilton International School's property and equipment
• Perform playground duties on time and with due diligence to safeguard Hamilton students
• Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect students, equipment, materials, and facilities
• Assist in implementing all policies and rules governing student life and conduct
• Ensure that, all the necessary health and safety rules and procedures are being followed
• Maintain an awareness of all the health and safety measures to be taken when in school

THIS is fully committed to students' safeguarding and protection. The selected applicants will be required to take responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people within our school, as well as adhere to and ensure compliance with The Hamilton International School's child protection policies and procedures.

Other duties and responsibilities

Any other duties that the Principal may from time to time ask the post-holder to perform.

Position Requirements

Education:

• Have a current license or be qualified for a license as a Speech-Language Pathologist.
• Bachelor's Degree/Master's Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from an accredited institution
• Preferred candidates will have experience with oral-motor skills, childhood development, TEACCH, PECS, ABA/VB strategies.

Experience: Minimum 3 years' relevant experience

Language: English is mandatory

Required Skills and Knowledge

Knowledge

Competencies

• Outstanding performance in counselling & wellbeing in a school setting
• Excellent communication skills and command of the English language, in spoken and written form
• Organization skills: well organized and able to prioritize, multi tasks and meet deadlines
• The ability to work on a regular and punctual basis
• Flexible and work well under pressure
• Customer service
• Critical thinking
• Ability to negotiate, persuade and motivate others
• Willing attitude to be a part of the school team
• Strong sense of professionalism
• Safeguarding and welfare of children
• A collaborative team-player with excellent interpersonal skills
• The ability to develop good personal relationships within a team
• Behaviour management
• Demonstrated competency to use computer applications related to the role, including word processing and spreadsheet applications
• Record keeping and report preparation methods
• Interpersonal skills including tact, courtesy and patience
• Customer focused
• Willingness to undertake appropriate Professional Development

Attributes

• Empathetic listener
• Integrity and confidentiality
• Internationally minded
• Emotional intelligence
• Intercultural awareness, creative
• Flexible and a can-do attitude
• Passionate about delivering quality education
• Able to command respect of pupils, colleagues and parents
• Driven by wanting to improve quality and develop the school
• Reliable with an attention to detail and a commitment to quality
• An innovator with a willingness to embrace change

Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified. Employees will be expected to comply with any reasonable request from a manager to undertake work that is not specified in this job description. Employees are expected to be courteous to colleagues and provide a welcoming environment to visitors and telephone callers.

The school will endeavor to make any necessary reasonable adjustments to the job and the working environment to enable access to employment opportunities for disabled job applicants or continued employment for any employee who develops a disabling condition. This job description is current at the date shown, but, in consultation with you, may be changed by the Principal to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the grade and job title.

As a member of the staff of THIS you will need to comply with the below:

• Compliance with the school's Vision, Mission and Policies
• Positive Professional Relationship with all staff members are maintained.
• Contact with students is on a strictly professional basis with the physical and emotional safety of students being of paramount importance.
• The hours of work as arranged with the principal are strictly followed.
• This position entails working with information, much of which is held in confidence. Under no circumstances is this confidentiality to be compromised.

Preferred Requirements:

• Qualifications & experience in areas relating to Inclusive Education
• Qualifications in Occupational/Speech & Language/Behaviour/Music Therapy

Important Note:

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students and expects all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will have to provide Criminal Background Checks for any country you have permanently lived and or worked in over the last ten years.

The International Schools Partnership

The Hamilton International School is part of The International Schools Partnership (ISP).

The International Schools Partnership (ISP) is a growing group of committed colleagues in financially responsible schools around the world, all of which aim to be the school of choice in their local area. Learning is at the heart of everything we do for our pupils, colleagues and parents. We are committed to getting better, all the time.

ISP was founded by an experienced team of committed educationalists and commercial operators who have worked together over many years. Our growing group of private schools located in the UK, the USA & Canada, Europe, Costa Rica, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Mexico and Peru educate children and pupils from 2-18 years of age. We have now expanded to 48 schools delivering multiple curricula and building on local brands and reputations with around 45,000 pupils and 7,000 staff located across the globe.

We believe that successful schools are the ones that put learning at the heart of everything they do, always aiming to create rounded individuals that are able to forge successful careers and lives in a rapidly changing world. Our goal is to enable our schools as the leading school of choice in their local area. We are a truly international group working in different cultures and speaking different languages. We work across countries and cultures, too, by working with each other and with other schools and communities. At ISP we continue to engage with schools around the world who are interested in becoming part of our global group of schools and look forward to welcoming more pupils and staff to the group.

All our schools:

• Help children and pupils learn to levels that amaze them.
• Inspire children and pupils to be successful now and equip them to be successful later.
• Are truly international, working in partnerships within and across regions, cultures and languages.
• Aim to be the schools of choice for children, pupils and their families, wherever we are.

The Hamilton International School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All shortlisted candidates and post holders are subject to appropriate International Criminal and Child Protection Background Checks or equivalent, covering the previous 10 years of employment history. The Hamilton International School recruit teachers in several ways including direct application to the school and through international teacher recruitment agencies and organizations.