Location Children’s Disability Network Team 6, Palmerstown
Reporting Relationship Liz Meaney - Children Disability Network Manager (CDNM 6)


Job Purpose To provide a family-centred and quality-driven Speech and language
Therapy Services as part of an inter-disciplinary team and within
established professional standards, guidelines and policy for children with
complex needs attending services in the Children Disability Networks
(CDN) under the Stewarts Care Services as the lead agency.


Scope of the Role • The scope of the post will be working with children and young
people (0-18) with complex needs and their families.

• The successful candidate will have the opportunity to provide

quality evidence-based Speech & Language Therapy service
including assessment of family needs, and a range of advisory,
practical and skilled emotional supports The service is provided
within the Progressing Disabilities Services for Children and young
people (PDS) framework, with interdisciplinary team working and
family centred practice at its core.

• The brief of the post will be working with children in CDNT 6 in

Stewart’s Care Services which is the lead agency for CDNT’s (CDNT-5
and 6) in line with ethos of Progressing Children’s Disability Services
(PDS). These teams will be based in Stewarts Care Palmerstown and
Rossecourt, Lucan. Flexibility, however, may be required by the
post-holder to meet the needs of the children supported by the
organisation if deemed necessary as may be directed by the CDNM.
Key Duties and Clinical Duties
Responsibilities

• Responsible for providing essential assessment skills to identify the

individual health and educational needs of the child on their
designated caseload.

• Provide a quality speech & language therapy service through

assessment, diagnosis and management of speech, language and
communication and FEDS difficulties for children with a range of
disabilities.

• Monitor, audit and evaluate speech, language and communication

and FEDS plans and interventions.

• Responsible for completing reports in a designed time frame.

• Responsible for maintaining confidentiality.

• Contribute to CDNT’S quality improvement work that may include,

project work, research, evaluation, audit, service development and
evaluation of resources.

• Attend and participate in Interdisciplinary team meetings to ensure

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integrated care for the Service User.

• Attend Individual family service plan (IFSP) meetings and provide

SLT input relevant to the child’s goals.

• Contribute to CDNT quality improvement that may include; service

development, in-service training, and evaluation of resources within
the interdisciplinary team working

• Represent the department at CDNT team meetings and conferences

as designated by the CDNM.

• Consult with parents/guardians/service users regarding assessment,

treatment and education as appropriate.

• Participate in the development of clinical protocols and guidelines

reflective of evidence-based practice.

• Manage clinical and non-clinical caseloads appropriate to the post.

• Become familiar with and work in accordance with relevant HSE

policies, HIQA standards, legislation and professional policies,
guidelines and requirements to ensure safe practice and high
standards of service delivery.

• Become familiar with the key National policy documents for

children disability services such as the National Access policy,
National policy on prioritization of referral among others.

• Participate in the Preliminary Team Assessment (PTA) process as

may be assigned.

• Promote a culture that values equality, diversity and respect in the

workplace.

• In conjunction with the CDNM, contribute to the development and

implementation of procedures, policies and guidelines while
adhering to existing standards and protocols.

• Participate in own clinical supervision sessions with a senior staff

member and/or as assigned by the CDNM.

• Work within limits of professional competence in line with

principles of best practice, professional conduct and clinical
governance

• Undertake Key Worker role as required.

Quality, Risk, Health and Safety Management

• Participate in any quality improvement projects and change

initiatives which may be introduced.

• Follow and adhere to all risk related guidelines as stipulated by Risk

Management.

• Ensure the highest level of confidentiality pertaining to all

organisational stakeholders.

• Maintain appropriate service user record details and statistics in

accordance with organisational and departmental guidelines, along
with the Freedom of Information Act.

• Comply with the policies, procedures and safe professional practice

of the Irish Healthcare System by adhering to relevant legislation,
regulations and standards.

• Assist in the development, implementation and review of the

department’s Health and Safety statement, as appropriate. 5

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• Document appropriately and report any near misses, hazards and

accidents and bring them to the attention of the relevant person(s)

• Work in a safe manner with due care and attention to the safety of

self and others.

• Be aware of risk management issues, identify risks and take

appropriate action.

• Comply with department procedures with regard to assessment,

recommendation and / or manufacturing of all assistive devices.

• Support a culture that values diversity and respect.

Continuous Professional Development

• Contribute to, deliver, and participate in SLT and Interdisciplinary

education sessions.

• Engage in the education of colleagues, student SLTs, Service Users

and other health care professionals in the area of FEDS and
Communication.

• Partake in career and personal development planning. Maintain

your own professional development and competence.

• Actively participate in induction, clinical supervision, mentoring,

appraisal, clinical reflection and be open to reflective practice.

• Attend mandatory training programmes as directed by Stewarts

Care.

• Abide by the code of ethics of the Irish Association of Speech and

Language Therapists/CORU.

Qualifications & Candidates must meet the following criteria relevant to the role:
Experience • Hold a qualification in Speech and Language Therapy approved by the
Speech and Language Therapy Registration Board at CORU.

• Practitioners must maintain annual registration on the Speech and

Language Therapy Register maintained by the Speech and Language
Therapy Registration Board at CORU.

• Experience carrying out SLT and working within an interdisciplinary

team for children with complex needs is desirable.

• Qualified to practice in, and experience supporting people with

Feeding, Eating, Drinking and Swallowing (FEDS) needs.

• Knowledge of the Disability Act 2005 and Health Act 2007.

• Have a full clean driving license and access to a car.

• Ideally, we are seeking candidates with experience working with

children and adolescents with a range of disabilities with complex
needs. This job description is a guide to the general range of duties assigned to
the post holder. It is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive and is
subject to periodic review with the employee concerned.


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Terms and Conditions of Employment
Speech and Language Therapist – Stewarts Care

Remuneration Current Salary Scale: Speech and Language Therapist - €42,200-€60,696
inc. LSI per annum.

Salaries and increments are paid in accordance with Department of
Health Consolidated Pay scales.
Incremental credit will be applied based on recognised relevant service.
Annual leave 27 days per annum


Working week The hours allocated to this post are 35 hours per week with a 7-hour
standard working day, exclusive of lunch breaks.
The allocation of these hours will be at the discretion of CDNM.


Probation All employees will be subject to a probationary period of 6 months, with
an extension if required of 9 months. This probationary period applies to
all employees irrespective of their role or type of role.


Garda Vetting Stewarts Care will carry out Garda vetting on all new employees. An
employee will not take up employment with the organisation until the
Garda Vetting process has been completed and the organisation is
satisfied that such an appointment does not pose a risk to the service
users and employees.


References Stewarts Care will seek up to two written references from current and
previous employers, educational institutions, or any other organisation
with which the candidate has been associated. Stewarts Care reserves
the right to determine the merit, appropriateness and relevance of such
references and referees.



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