Being an NQP at C&D!
Entering the world of work as a Speech and Language Therapist for the first time can be daunting! However, with a friendly and supportive team it doesn’t need to be so scary!
In this blog, one of our therapists in the South West Team, Molly, shares what it was like joining C&D when she was a Newly Qualified Practitioner (NQP).
What did your caseload look like in your NQP year?
I had a mixture of school-based contracts and private individual clients in my NQP year. In my NQP year I was looking for a varied caseload so that I could gather lots of experience early on in my career – C&D offered me just that as I was seeing children and young people between the ages of 2-23 years old!
Did you prefer working in schools or with private individual clients?
I felt more confident doing schools work as I had done a lot of work in schools during my university placements. However, I have loved private work too, it’s so varied! I think there is a misconception that private work can be quite samey, that’s certainly not been my experience! I’ve seen clients using high tech AAC (e.g. eye gaze communication), clients who stammer or have ASD, alongside little ones using parent-child interaction strategies. This has kept the job so interesting and exciting!
Did you have time to do your NQP competencies?
When I was studying there was a lot of emphasis on the NQP competencies and finding a job that supports you in completing those. I’ve been pleased that C&D allowed me time in my schedule to complete my competencies – the last thing I wanted was to do them over my weekends! Within a matter of months I could see that I had ample experience to tick off the competencies, a testament to how varied my workload has been. Documenting this information wasn’t quite so effortless but at least I was given time to do that!
What did supervision look like for you in your NQP year?
I had supervision once or twice every fortnight. Although we did have formal sessions regularly, my supervisor made sure that there was time allocated every week just in case I needed to call her for a quick chat! This was a huge reassurance as new and challenging situations came up frequently when I first joined the team. I felt like I could ask her anything! Whilst the competency work is mainly completed independently, we did do some competency work in formal supervision sessions. My supervisor was a huge help and helped me think outside the box so I could document all my evidence effectively. Even though I always have a supervisor, I have to say that the whole team at C&D have been so supportive! Cassie and Lizzie have created a very friendly dynamic in the team so it’s never scary asking for help!
Would you recommend doing your NQP year at C&D?
Definitely! Even though it was an unbelievably steep learning curve, I have loved working for C&D! I also never felt like an NQP – I felt respected and trusted from the get-go which I think helped me be a braver and more confident therapist, even in those early months.