“I am a Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist working in Scarborough, Filey and Whitby.  Originally from near Glasgow, I moved to Scarborough two years ago for this job.

“When I tell people what I do, often the first thing people think about is helping children who have difficulty saying different speech sounds or who stammer.  This is part of what we do, but we also help children with all sorts of difficulties that can make communication complicated.  We help children to play and interact with their family and friends, express what they want or need, understand what other people are saying and feel less anxious about talking.  Sometimes this is by helping them with their speech sounds or grammar, but it can also be through using other forms of communication like gesture, signing, symbols or even eye contact.  Some of my colleagues also help children with their eating and swallowing!

“What I love most about my job is that you often need to get creative when planning therapy - every child is different and they often challenge me to think outside the box! It is a fantastic feeling when you find something that works for a child and they have fun with you.

“I wanted to work for the NHS as it offers me the flexibility to support children from all backgrounds with their communication however they need, whether that’s through working with their parents, helping their teachers or seeing them directly.  I firmly believe that where possible, care should be planned while thinking about the child as a whole, and the best way to support their communication is not always to put them in a room with a professional.

“Awareness of communication difficulties and the benefits of speech and language therapy are increasing all the time which is fantastic, although it means we are kept very busy!  It can sometimes be difficult trying to fit everything that needs done into my diary, but thankfully our team is incredibly supportive and there is always someone on hand to help problem solve or offer new ideas.

“I am very proud to be working for the NHS and very thankful that I have been so lucky to have started my career with such a wonderful team who are passionate about what we do.”