The Role
At Orchard Community Care (Disability Services) we are pleased to add to our Multi-Disciplinary Team the role of Senior Speech & Language Therapist. to provide a range of speech and language therapy inputs to children and adults with an intellectual disability. 
As Senior Speech & Language Therapist you will be ready to take on a rewarding role combining clinical expertise, mentorship and transformative work with young adults and children across Orchard Community Care. You will have the opportunity to lead, innovate and grow professionally while positively enhancing the lives of the people we support.
Role Objectives

• Provide comprehensive speech and language therapy assessments and interventions to children and young people with complex disabilities focusing on enhancing their communication and functional abilities and participation in daily activities.
• Working with Person In Charge and frontline staff to develop accessible materials for information and social stories purposes.
• Demonstrates exemplary clinical skills in SLT assessment intervention and diagnostics to meet the specific needs of children and young people with a range of disabilities including physical, sensory, autism, etc.
• Provide a speech and language therapy service to include communication assessment, diagnostics and intervention, and ongoing service delivery to children and adults with a range of disabilities.
• Develop individualised treatment support plans based on evidence-based practices.
• For referred individuals evaluate swallowing function, provide strategies for safe and effective eating and drinking, lead onward specialist referrals in FEDS area and other medical conditions affecting swallowing.
• Collaborate with the multidisciplinary team other MDT members in an interdisciplinary model and support the Regional Directors to provide holistic care.
• Engage with families and care giving staff to provide education and support regarding their child’s supported individual communication needs.
• Participate in service development initiatives and quality improvement projects.
• Team Support: Provide education, training, and support to team members providing care to empower them to facilitate the development of the people we support.
• Develop and Maintain accurate and timely documentation of assessments, treatment individualised support plans, and progress reports in accordance with professional and organisational standards.
• Continuous Professional Development: Stay abreast of the latest research and best practices in SLT and apply this knowledge to improve service delivery. To monitor and keep up-to-date with developments in speech and language therapy especially in the field of disabilities, including attending training courses and participating in research to improve service delivery.
• Keep up to date Communication Technology that may assist individuals.

Reporting Relationship and Location
The post holder will report to the Regional Director of Orchard Community Care.
This is a hybrid role with flexibility around base location. The post holder will be required primarily to travel to our premises across the West and North West with occasional requirements to travel to our sites across the country.
Qualifications, Skills and Experience:
The successful candidate must meet the following criteria:

• A recognised third level qualification in Speech and Language Therapy.
• A minimum of 3 years full time post-qualification experience, preferably working with children and young adults with disabilities.
• FEDS (Feeding, Eating, Drinking, and Swallowing), certification or significant experience with FEDS -related cases.
• Be registered, or be eligible for registration, as a Speech & Language Therapist by the Speech & Language Therapists Registration Board at CORU.
• Previous clinical experience in leading specialist referrals in FEDS and other medical conditions affecting swallowing.
• Ideally expertise in delivery of communication aid programmes to include Lamh.
• Have the clinical expertise and experience to discharge the duties of the post.
• Strong clinical, communication and leadership abilities, with an Orchard Care Values approach.
• Must have valid Garda Clearance and valid Overseas Clearance (if applicant lived abroad for more than 6 months).
• Full Drivers licence with eligibility to drive in Ireland & access to a vehicle.
• Be eligible to work in the state without restriction.

Desirable Criteria:.

• Clinical expertise of working with children, adults and their families as part of an interdisciplinary team with relevant specific training
  • or
• Demonstrates sufficient clinical skills expertise in Speech and Language Therapy assessment, intervention and diagnostics to meet the specific needs of the relevant caseload.

Values
At Orchard Care Group we have strong values that are lived across our teams every day and you will need to be excited to be part of a team that work to the following values.

• Advocacy
  • We are the voice of the people we support
• Integrity
  • We ensure trust, accountability, respect and responsibility in how we work
• Excellence
  • We deliver quality services to the people we support
• Collaboration
  • We work in partnership with the people we support, our employees and our external stakeholders
• Human Rights
  • We take a rights-based approach to how we plan and deliver services, to uphold equality and human rights for the people we support

Skills:
Therapy disabilities LAMH Speech & Language