Speech and language therapy assistant
Speech and language therapy assistants support people who have difficulties with communication, or with eating, drinking or swallowing.
Also known as: Speech and language therapy support worker
- Starter salary£25,000 a year
- Experienced£31,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 40 a week
What you'll do
In this role, you could:
- work with clients on a one-to-one basis
- run group work and activities
- update patient records
- work closely with speech therapists and education professionals
- advise clients and colleagues on cultural and language differences if you're bilingual
Working environment
You could work at a health centre, in an NHS or private hospital, at a client's home, in a nursery or at a school.
Your working environment may be emotionally demanding.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- sensitivity and understanding
- excellent verbal communication skills
- knowledge of psychology
- active listening skills
- the ability to understand people's reactions
- to be flexible and open to change
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- the ability to work well with others
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a speech and language therapy assistant
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
College
You could do a college course to get into this job. Relevant subjects include:
- Level 2 Certificate in Health and Social Care
- Level 2 Certificate in Healthcare Support Services
- Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Support
Most health and social care courses include work placements so this could be a good way to get practical experience.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course
Apprenticeship
You can do a Healthcare Support Worker Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship or a Senior Healthcare Support Worker Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
There are no set entry requirements but it may help you to get in if you have:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Work
You could start as a healthcare assistant and move into speech and language therapy assistant work, through further training and promotion.
Volunteering
Volunteering in the NHS is a good way to get work experience in healthcare. This can be helpful when you apply for jobs or training.
Direct application
You can apply directly for jobs if you've got relevant skills and experience from working in a healthcare setting. Some employers may ask for a qualification in healthcare and GCSE subjects like maths, English and science.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks
You'll need to be able to speak a second language that is spoken in the community to work as a bilingual speech and language therapy assistant.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could:
- become a team leader and supervise other therapy assistants
- train to become an assistant practitioner
- study to qualify as a speech and language therapist
Career tips
You would be expected to have an understanding of how the NHS values would apply in your work.
Guides for this industry
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