Clinical knowledge questions

"Describe your clinical reasoning when assessing a child with delayed speech." Differentiate delay (normal pattern, slower pace) from disorder (atypical development). Assessment: case history (birth, development, hearing, family history), observation (child at play, with parents), formal assessment (CELF, BPVS, Preschool Language Scales). Differential diagnosis: hearing impairment (refer to audiology), learning disability, autism, selective mutism. "What is dysphagia and how do you assess and manage it?" Difficulty swallowing. Assessment: clinical swallowing examination (voice quality, oral health, trialling textures), instrumental assessment where indicated (videofluoroscopy, FEES). Management: texture modification (IDDSI framework), postural strategies, MDT liaison (dietetics, nursing, medical).

AAC questions

"What is your experience with AAC and how would you assess a patient for an AAC system?" AAC encompasses unaided (sign, gesture), low-tech (symbol boards, PECS), and high-tech (Proloquo2Go, Grid, Tobii Dynavox). Assessment: communication needs, motor ability, cognitive and linguistic level, vision and hearing. Important to address with families: AAC does not inhibit speech development. Involvement of carers, family, and school in implementation is essential.

Behavioral questions

"Tell me about a time you managed a complex or challenging caseload." Show organisation, clinical prioritisation, and resilience. "How do you support families of children with speech and language difficulties?" Family-centred practice: parents as partners, training parents in home activities, managing expectations for complex or lifelong conditions (autism, cerebral palsy). "Describe a situation where you disagreed with a colleague about a clinical approach." Professional constructiveness: raised with evidence, listened to counter-perspective, resolved in the patient's best interest.

Clinical settings

SLTs work across NHS acute (dysphagia, stroke), community paediatric services (developmental speech, autism), community adult (Parkinson's, MND, dementia), special and mainstream education, private practice, and independent expert witness work. Know the setting you are applying to and the specific caseload, service model, and MDT structure.

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Frequently asked questions

What qualifications do you need to be a speech and language therapist in the UK?
An HCPC-approved SLT degree (BSc or BMedSci, three to four years) or a pre-registration Masters. HCPC registration is required to practice. RCSLT is the professional body. Many SLTs pursue post-graduate training in voice, fluency, AAC, acquired neurological disorders, or autism.
What is the difference between a speech delay and a speech disorder?
A delay follows the normal developmental sequence but at a slower pace — likely to catch up with support. A disorder shows an atypical pattern (not just delayed): specific sound errors, phonological processes, childhood apraxia of speech, or structural causes such as cleft palate or dysarthria. The distinction affects prognosis, intervention approach, and parental counselling.