Position Description s100

POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Speech Pathologist

Reports to: Team Leader

Location: Shoalhaven – based in Nowra

POSITION SUMMARY

The role of the Speech Pathologist is to provide integrated and holistic speech pathology services to support the care and education of children and young people in the Shoalhaven. The Speech Pathologist will work as part of a trans-disciplinary and/or multi-disciplinary team to deliver high quality inclusion services to children and young people which focus on intervention strategies to enhance every child or young person’s language and communication as well as assisting those who have swallowing, drinking or feeding difficulties. This is achieved by working with children, young people and their families to:

· Identify their needs;

· Problem solve ways of meeting these needs;

· Provide direct intervention as discussed and agreed;

· Build each families capacity to advocate for themselves and access local children’s services and other community resources to meet their child’s health, safety and developmental needs

· Support early childhood education centres and schools to maximise the child’s inclusion.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

In line with Program Guidelines and Noah’s Shoalhaven practices:

· Identify children’s developmental speech and communication difficulties/disorders;

· Assess and treat swallowing and communication difficulties arising from a range of causes eg congenital problems such as cleft palate or acquired disorders;

· Devising, implementing and revising relevant treatment programs;

· Assessing communication environments;

· Working with clients on a one to one basis, and in groups, to deliver therapy;

· Provide services for eligible families in their home, in their early childhood or school setting;

· Prepare and maintain confidential client case notes and reports, as well as information for clients, carers and other professionals;

· Contribute to the development of a high quality service;

· Develop and maintain effective internal and external working relationships;

· Provide effective consultancy advice to the trans-disciplinary/multi-displinary team related to own discipline;

· Plan optimal use of time on a day to day basis;

· Manage own performance and professional development and participate in the Planning, Performance Review and Development process;

· Contribute to strategic and action planning and implementation.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

Service Delivery

· Families are consulted with effectively and understand the expectations, aims and purpose of speech pathology services;

· Family Service and Support Plans are developed and evaluated in consultation with families and respond to identified and agreed needs;

· Provides direct intervention according to identified needs and own qualifications;

· Seeks consultancy advice from team members of different professional disciplines;

· Builds the family’s capacity to respond to the needs of their family and to access community resources;

· Records data and provides documents according to reporting requirements in an accurate and timely manner;

· Contributes to service development initiatives.

· Demonstrates cultural sensitivity and adjusts personal style in response to client/member differences

Relationships

· Interacts respectfully and effectively with others;

· Interacts with families using family centred, strength based and reflective practices;

· Regularly communicates with supervisor on all aspects of the role;

· There are no serious, legitimate and substantiated complaints regarding the actions of the Speech Pathologist.

Organisation

· Maintain knowledge of Noah’s Shoalhaven policies, procedures and practices as well as relevant legislative requirements;

· Actively participate in organisation’s meetings and activities as required

· Contribute to team plans and relate teamwork to strategic objectives;

· Offer constructive feedback and provide balanced and informed perspectives at team meetings;

· Participate in the organisation’s performance management system in order to define annual objectives and professional development goals;

· Participate in professional development programs to assist the organisation to achieve Strategic Plan goals;

· Actively participate in organisational quality and risk management processes;

· Create, maintain and foster a safe work environment at all times in line with the organisations WHS and Risk Policies;

· Ensure understanding and commitment to anti-bullying and anti-harassment legislations and Noah’s Shoalhaven policies;

· Actively support Noah’s Shoalhaven vision, purpose and values.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Qualifications

Essential

· Tertiary qualification in Speech Pathology, or its equivalent

· Current membership of Speech Pathology Australia

· Current driver’s license and own comprehensively insured car

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

· Strong understanding of typical and atypical child development (0-18 years);

· Understanding and awareness of the guidelines and minimum requirements identified by Speech Pathology Australia;

· Understanding of, and ability to implement, speech therapy support based on family centeredness;

· The philosophy of inclusion and associated practice;

· Current early childhood development theory and practice, including cross cultural perspectives;

· Experience working with children, young people and their families, particularly vulnerable children and families;

· Ability to provide and implement practical strategies to facilitate child development;

· Capacity building approaches that utilise collaboration, reflective and strength based practice.

Desirable

· Experience working with children with additional needs.

Interpersonal Skills

Essential

· Demonstrated high level of interpersonal, communication, negotiation and coaching skills including the ability to consult with relevant staff, teams and professionals to achieved improved outcomes for children, young people and families

· Demonstrates appropriate interpersonal skills, active listening, empathy, social awareness and emotional intelligence in verbal communications;

· Highly developed written and verbal communication skills;

· Ability to organise time and use tools effectively to assist planning and organising;

· Intermediate level of competence with information technology

Prerequisites

· Satisfactory National Criminal History Check

· Current Working With Children Check

· Current Driver’s Licence

· Current First Aid Certificate

· Have own vehicle

ABOUT NOAH’S SHOALHAVEN

Noah’s Shoalhaven has been providing highly flexible and quality service for children with special needs and their families for the past 33 years.

We are a not for profit, non-government, community based organisation.

At Noah’s, children, young people and their families are at the centre of everything we do. This means we value: Inclusiveness, Collaboration, Adaptability, Respectfulness and Evidence-based practice.

Noah’s Ark Centre of Shoalhaven Inc

Nowra: Bldg 303 Shoalhaven Campus, University of Wollongong, George Evans Road, Mundamai (PO Box 284), Nowra, NSW, 2541 Ph: 4423 5022 Fax: 4422 5156

Email:

Ulladulla: 158 Green Street (PO Box 432), Ulladulla, NSW, 2539 Ph: 4455 1318 Fax: 4454 2924

Email: