Are you an experienced Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist with a passion for clinical
leadership, team development, and shaping how exceptional therapy is delivered? We are looking for
a Principal Speech and Language Therapist to join Hopscotch Children’s Therapy Centre a role that
places you at the heart of our clinical team, combining a meaningful hands-on caseload with genuine
responsibility for the quality and growth of our SLT service.
About Us:
Our Speech and Language Therapy service is committed to providing high-quality assessments and
interventions to children in the heart of London. We specialise in helping children and young people
aged 6 months to 25 years with speech, language, communication, and eating and drinking difficulties
engage in meaningful participation across home, school, and community settings. Our clinic’s clinical
identity is built around a strong multidisciplinary approach, and our Clinic Director is an internationally recognised Sensory Integration trainer and practitioner, creating a uniquely integrated therapeutic environment for our clients.
Training and Development:
We invest seriously in our clinical team. As Principal Speech and Language Therapist, you will join a
service that is actively growing with an expanding caseload, a developing junior team, and increasing
demand across both private and LA-commissioned pathways. You will benefit from a structured
programme that supports your leadership development and deepens your specialist expertise:
- A comprehensive onboarding programme tailored to your experience and leadership remit
- Structured clinical leadership development, working alongside our Clinic Director to align SLT practice with the clinic’s clinical standards and strategic vision
- Exposure to Ayres Sensory Integration® principles and how they intersect with communication and feeding profiles, within our uniquely integrated multidisciplinary setting
- Ongoing peer reflection and senior-level clinical supervision
- A growing supervisory caseload as the team expands, with scope to shape how junior SLTs are recruited, onboarded, and developed
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead and supervise a growing team of Band 5, 6, and 7 Speech and Language Therapists, providing clinical guidance and line management support as the service expands to meet increasing demand
- Carry a clinical caseload of children with a range of speech, language, communication, and feeding needs, delivering high-quality assessments and interventions
- Conduct and oversee standardised assessments (including CELF-5, PLS-5, BPVS-3, VMPAC, and oro-motor and feeding assessments), producing clear, evidence-based reports for EHCP, tribunal, and clinical purposes
- Apply and model strong clinical reasoning across the team, supporting junior SLTs to develop their analytical skills and professional judgement
- Oversee the quality of assessments, interventions, and progress documentation for clients across the team, including receptive and expressive language, speech sound development, social communication, AAC, and eating and drinking
- Deliver home and school recommendations and implement communication and feeding programmes to support children across various environments
- Effectively communicate therapy plans and progress to parents and professionals, ensuring consistency and quality across the team
- Conduct online therapy sessions for clients who cannot attend in person
- Collaborate closely with our multidisciplinary team, including Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Educators, and Administrative Staff
- Participate in strategic service development during multidisciplinary meetings and contribute to the clinic’s overall goals
- Provide clinical supervision and professional development to junior staff, including Band 5/6 SLTs, while fostering a supportive team environment
- Design and implement specialist intervention programmes for clients with complex needs, including those with social communication difficulties, AAC requirements, or significant dysphagia
Pay Review:
Your salary will be reviewed formally at the six-month point. This review will assess your progress
across clinical practice, standardised assessment competency, and team leadership, and will be a
meaningful opportunity to recognise your development and contribution.
Necessary Attributes:
- Education & Registration: A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Speech and Language Therapy, current HCPC registration, and RCSLT membership
- Experience: A minimum of 5 years’ experience in speech and language therapy, with at least 2 years in a paediatric setting. Previous experience in a senior, lead, or supervisory role is essential
- Clinical Skills: Demonstrable experience across paediatric speech, language, and communication needs; experience with dysphagia assessment and management is highly desirable
- Assessment Skills: Experience with or a willingness to develop proficiency in standardised paediatric assessments including CELF-5, PLS-5, BPVS-3, VMPAC, and feeding/oro-motor tools
- AAC: Experience with augmentative and alternative communication approaches is desirable
- Work Eligibility: Eligibility to work in the UK (sponsorship may be available if required)
Benefits:
We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Access to a 24/7 General Practitioner
- Legal Assistance
- Fitness discounts, including access to over 3,600 health clubs
- Other lifestyle discounts
- CPD funding and access to specialist training programmes
- Structured six-month salary review
Why Join Us?
This is a rare opportunity to step into a role that carries real clinical and organisational weight — not
just a title, but a genuine leadership position within a growing, specialist clinic. You will lead and
expand our SLT service, set the standard for clinical practice, and shape how a high-performing team
develops over the years ahead. All of this alongside a richly multidisciplinary environment that places
sensory integration at the heart of its work.
If you are ready to lead, grow, and make a lasting impact on children’s lives, we would love to hear
from you.
