Salary: £47,000 - £53,000 per annum - salary is dependent on qualifications & experience

Position: Full Time (37.5 hours per week)

Positions available: 1

Closing date: 28th February 2025

Clinical Lead

(Experienced Occupational Therapist or Speech and Language Therapist)

Salary Range – £47,000 – £53,000 per annum – (salary is dependent on Qualifications & Experience).

28 Days paid annual leave + 8 bank holidays

We are currently looking to recruit a Clinical Lead to take on the role of leading and developing the SaLT and OT service within our multi-disciplinary therapy department, alongside our Therapy Manager.  We are looking for someone to join our team that is a qualified and experienced Speech and Language Therapist or Occupational Therapist.

This is a permanent full time position of  37.5 hours per week based across our Therapeutic Community in our Head Office at Kearsney Manor, Temple Ewell, Kent.

Part Time hours of 30 hours per week would be considered.

Channels & Choices is a centre of excellence in therapeutic child-care.  Our community, based in East Kent, is currently made up of 7 therapeutic residential children’s homes, a school and a therapeutic fostering service. We also have our own integrated multi-disciplinary therapy team which is currently made up of a Speech and Language Therapist, Occupational Therapist, Play Therapist, Art Psychotherapist, Dance and Movement Psychotherapist, counsellors, and a Psychiatrist. We also have two therapy assistants that deliver SaLT and OT interventions/programmes.

As a member of our community you would play a key part in transforming children’s lives and helping them reach their full potential.  Your role would involve working with children across all aspects of the community whilst also supporting the adults who care for the children.

We have a strong commitment to staff development and there will be considerable opportunities for internal and external training and for sharing good practice within the community.

Perks, Rewards, and benefits

  • Private Optical, Dental and Audiological cover
  • Private Medical care
  • Loyalty scheme which rewards you with extra annual leave following 2 years of service, up to 5 extra days.
  • Long service awards for 5-, 10- and 15-years’ service
  • Regular team building days, parties, meals and more!
  • Complimentary health and wellbeing support with our employee’s assistance programme
  • Yearly CPD budget provided
  • Funding towards external clinical supervision
  • Contribution towards professional registration
  • Full induction training fortnight.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Key Responsibilities

  • In conjunction with the Therapy Manager the Clinical Lead will promote the development and implementation of the SaLT and OT Service within Channels & Choices.
  • Work in partnership with colleagues from across the community by providing direct advice and strategic direction to support children, residential staff, school staff and foster carers.
  • Attend and participate in senior leadership meetings.
  • Carry out comprehensive assessments and oversee the delivery of interventions and strategies to support the children in our care.
  • Provide specialist education and training to staff and carers across the community.
  • Provide line management responsibilities for therapy assistants, SALT and OT, to include but not limited to, monthly supervision, probation reviews and annual appraisals.
  • Allocate and monitor supervisee caseloads.
  • To devise, monitor, supervise and evaluate the implementations of intervention programmes delivered by the SALT and OT services across the community.
  • QA and signing off clinical reports and assessments within a timely matter.
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of the Therapy team Development Plan.
  • Lead on the delivery of different projects to improve the quality of the service.
  • Provide monthly report updates or staffing, performance, caseload and assessment process status for the therapy manager.
  • Actively contribute the child risk assessment and safety plan where there are where there are concerns around a child’s emotional well-being alongside the therapy manager.
  • Make effective use of supervision, support, training and guidance.
  • Provide all interventions giving due regard and consideration to issues of racial, religious, cultural and sexual orientation.
  • Knowledge of the latest research, theory and literature to support evidence based practice.
  • Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of other relevant legislation for children’s social care including safeguarding policies and procedures.
  • Maintain professional registration requirements by continued professional development through CPD and work within the codes of practice, professional guidelines and policies.
  • Ensure an excellent quality service that promotes positive outcomes for children in care.
  • Adhere to all Channels and Choices policies and procedures.
  • Maintain confidentiality within the Channels and Choices Community, in line in line with the company and wider national guidance.
  • Any other duties that are deemed relevant and appropriate to your role as specified by the therapy team manager.

Person Specification

Qualifications (Essential)

  • Relevant degree level qualification to practice Speech & Language or Occupational therapy.
  • Registered with RCSLT or RCOT
  • Registered with HCPC

Experience (Essential) 

  • Minimum of 5 years’ experience as a qualified clinician.
  • Experience of completing assessments and writing comprehensive reports
  • Experience of delivering interventions to children & young people
  • Experience in providing consultation and guidance to other professionals and non-professional groups

Experience (Desirable)

  • Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team
  • Experience of leading a service/team.
  • Experience in assessing and working with Looked After Children, relational and developmental trauma and neurodiversity.
  • Experience developing and delivering training

Skills & Abilities (Essential) 

  • Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills
  • Ability to work effectively on own initiative as well as within a team
  • Computer literate for report and assessment writing
  • Ability to use supervision effectively to process and reflect on the support provided
  • Ability to identify and provide appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to distressing situations and challenging behaviour

Skills & Abilities (Desirable) 

  • Ability to develop or facilitate training courses

Knowledge (Essential)

  • Comprehensive understanding of  how trauma and attachment impairment can impact on a child’s development.
  • Knowledge and skills of theories, practice, and research in the field of Speech & Language Therapy or Occupational Therapy.
  • Work within the NICE guidelines.
  • Understanding of Child Protection & Safeguarding
  • Knowledge of the mental health needs of children and adolescents

Personal Qualities (Essential) 

  • Commitment to continued professional and personal development
  • Professional credibility
  • Commitment to equal opportunities and valuing diversity.
  • Demonstrate a commitment to supervision and reflective practice
  • Warm, engaging and problem solving approach

Additional (Essential) 

  • Driver with use of own car

Channels and Choices are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the young people in our care. Staff are all required to adhere to the organisation’s Safeguarding Policies and Procedures. This post will be subject to a clear Enhanced DBS Disclosure, an employment background check, satisfactory references & verification of a right to work in the UK. As part of our commitment to Safer Recruitment, CVs cannot be considered without a completed application form.

Channels & Choices are committed to ensuring that we are always recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse mix of colleagues who are representative of the diversity in our local community. We actively celebrate our staff’s different abilities, sexual orientation, ethnicity, faith, and gender. Everyone is welcome to apply for a job with Channels & Choices and our staff are supported in their development at all stages in their journey with us.

Channels and Choices reserve the right to carry out background social media checks on all new applicants.

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