Early Years Practitioner

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

To undertake home visits as delegated by the Health Visitor/Speech and Language Therapist.

To assist the Health Visitor and Speech and Language Therapist to deliver a model of early prevention and intervention improve SLCN outcomes for children aged 0- 2 years old who are at risk of developing SLCN.

To support the Speech and Language Therapist with training early years professionals on how refer into the new provision.

To undertake screening and review assessments as part of this new provision and to organise and run targeted language and communication intervention groups.

To undertake other relevant duties as delegated by the Health Visitor/Speech and Language Therapist as part of this new provision.

To be familiar with Children’s Centres and local programmes and facilitate and signpost parents in accessing the Children Centre services and Community Services as well as other local initiatives to support with speech and language promotion and development.

To promote early speech and language development and encourage the development of children’s play, language and communication through direct and indirect work and partnership with parents/carers and children.

To act as a source of information for parents and professionals about the referral pathways to the core speech and language therapy services.

To be aware of the child’s individual circumstances and adapt appropriately.

Communication

To be able to gather information that may be highly sensitive or highly complex.

To work closely with parents and early education staff and other professionals and to be able to deal with sensitive information using empathy, tact, reassurance and active listening.

To participate in identified meetings as directed and feedback information as appropriate.

To participate in multi-agency working and develop links with local nurseries and community groups to facilitate positive and effective information sharing.

To assist in developing and maintaining good working relationships with all colleagues, clients and carers.

To support the Speech and Language Therapist with providing training to a variety of audiences on aspects of speech and language development and universal and targeted intervention

To routinely overcome barriers to communication during screening assessment and intervention. This includes the use of sign, symbols or other alternative and augmentation strategies with communication disordered clients/carers, as well as the use of interpreters for clients and carers who do not have English as a first language.

To have the skills to motivate and encourage clients/carers in a positive and supportive manner to follow health improving advice and to engage in therapeutic interventions as appropriate.

To safeguard and promote the welfare of children and work to agreed trust safeguarding children policies to discuss any concerns with management and to seek advice from the Child protection team.

To adapt practice to meet individual client circumstances including due regard for cultural and linguistic differences.

Patient/Customer Care (if applicable) (both direct and indirect)

To undertake home visits as delegated by the Health Visitor/Speech and Language Therapist as part of the new provision.

To undertake screening assessments as part of this new provision and to organise and run targeted language and communication intervention groups.

To undertake other relevant duties as delegated by the Health Visitor/Speech and Language Therapist as part of this new provision.

Information Management

With the guidance of the Speech and Language Therapist to document screening assessments and intervention records.

To maintain up to date and accurate records of contact with parents, carers and children in line with trust standards.

To collect data required for monitoring and evaluation purposes.

To share information with others, observing data protection guidelines

To undertake duties in compliance with the trusts administrative systems.

To adhere to record keeping standards in accordance with Trust guidelines.

Planning and Organisation

To have good organisation skills to carryout universal and targeted intervention guided and supported by the speech and language therapy team.

Policy Development

To participate and contribute to research, audit and evaluation of new ways of working.

To adhere to all Trust policies, procedural guidelines and current legislation

Service Development

To participate and contribute to developing the new provision.

To be aware of and adhere to all Trust and Service policies

Personal development

To take part in the annual appraisal of work activities, agreeing objectives

and a personal development plan in line with the Trust’s Policy

Attend mandatory training and other training programmes as requested by the line manager/ Professional development lead or as directed according to Service needs.

Attend management and safeguarding supervision as per Trust policy.

To participate in the development and delivery of informal training to others with support.

To develop the ability to reflect on and evaluate training provided.

To attend relevant meetings and special interest groups

Systems and Equipment

To maintain equipment and assessments and report to senior staff when there is any malfunction

To be aware of Health and Safety hazards in the working environment and report them to a senior member of staff. To be aware of Trust policies and procedures with regard to Health and Safety.

Effort, Mental and Environment

Effort and environment

Physical effort

Frequently exerts light/moderate physical effort, for short periods

Frequent short periods of driving

Mental effort

Frequent concentration to complete screening assessments and reviews.

Work pattern altering to meet service need and prioritising work issues accordingly with changes faced

Car driving for liaison with agencies and to attend meetings and training

Sitting moderate periods when using visual display units / writing records / correspondence

Emotional effort

Occasional exposure to distressing/highly distressing circumstances.

Dealing with difficult family situations or circumstances.

Discussing concerns and negotiating outcomes re safeguarding children with colleagues, primary and secondary care professionals

Working conditions

Occasionally dealing at times with difficult people/scenarios involving colleagues and primary and secondary care.

Frequently driving within wide geographical area for visits/meetings in all weather conditions.

Frequently sharing offices and hot desking

Frequently needing to work flexibly in a variety of community settings

Occasional unpredictable and diverse work across a spectrum of scenarios

Occasionally exposed to unpleasant working conditions and occasionally exposed to highly unpleasant working conditions such as:

Road traffic hazards

Inclement weather

Lone working / working in isolation

This job description is subject to periodic review.