Speech and language therapist
Support adults and children who have communication difficulties or swallowing problems.
Also known as: SLT
About the job
A day in the life – Speech and language therapist
What it's like
Empower children and adults to communicate with confidence!
As a speech and language therapist, you'll work with people who have communication or swallowing difficulties. You'll carry out assessments, create therapy programmes and develop alternative ways of communicating.
Your work will help people who have:
difficulties speaking clearly
problems understanding language
issues using language
a stammer
difficulties with feeding, chewing or swallowing
There are many reasons why someone may face communication or swallowing problems. They can be a result of an injury, stroke, cancer, Parkinson's disease, mental health issue or learning difficulty.
Speech and language therapists work with clients in different locations – this includes hospitals, rehab units, schools, prisons and their own home. You'll work with people in either one-to-one or group sessions.
Your tasks might include:
assessing speech and communication difficulties in babies, children or adults
creating therapy programmes then working alongside patients to monitor their progress
coming up with alternative communication methods for patients, their carers and family members
assessing people's swallowing ability
working closely with other healthcare professionals, such as nurses or teachers, to implement therapy programmes
keeping detailed progress records for all your patients
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) – find out about the regulator of health and care professions in the United Kingdom
NHS Scotland Careers – learn more about working as a speech and language therapist in the health service
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- recalling
- motivating others
- mentoring
- coaching
- developing a plan
- empathising
- problem solving
- verbal communication
- listening
- cooperating
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
Modern Languages
Biology
Care
Childcare and Development
English
Gaelic (Learners)
Gàidhlig
Human Biology
You must have a degree to work as a speech and language therapist in Scotland.
Let's explore the routes you can take to become qualified.
University
You’ll need a degree or postgraduate qualification in a relevant subject, such as:
Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and Language Pathology
Use the My World of Work course search to find opportunities to study at university.
College
Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Healthcare Practice
Health and Social Care
Applied Science
Scottish Widening Access Programme (SWAP)
Are you an adult looking to get back into education? Consider the Scottish Widening Access Programme (SWAP). It offers routes to university courses by learning at college first.
If you don't have a degree and have been out of education for at least three years, you could be eligible. You can read more about eligibility on the SWAP website.
Volunteering in a healthcare-based role can help you build some of the skills and experience you’ll need to become a speech and language therapist. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Knowledge of Gaelic may be useful in certain parts of the country.
After graduation, you must register with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You can then apply for vacancies within the NHS.
You'll need to be approved for membership of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, run by Disclosure Scotland.
Community speech and language therapists will often visit patients in their home, so a driving licence is essential.
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