Senior Speech Pathologist

• Join WA's only tertiary paediatric centre as part of a collaborative, multidisciplinary team.
• Access a strong clinical education culture, including structured onboarding, credentialling, and professional development opportunities.
• Contribute to research, service innovation, and specialist training.

CRVCID No

This is a Recruitment Pool for Permanent Full Time, Permanent Part Time, Fixed Term Full Time, Fixed Term Part Time, Casual appointments, with the possibility of extension(s) and/or permanency.

Our service may include weekend shifts and or home visiting. Class C drivers licence is required.

This is an exciting opportunity to work at a senior practice level in a highly specialised paediatric setting, providing speech pathology services to children and young people with complex medical, neurological, surgical, and developmental needs.

Upcoming Opportunities in the Pool

• Hospital in the Home (HITH): We're seeking experienced Speech Pathologists (≥3 years) with expertise in managing paediatric feeding disorders (PFD) in children under 2 years of age. This part-time role (0.5–0.8 FTE) requires a Class C licence. PCH HITH delivers acute paediatric inpatient care at home or suitable locations. A new multidisciplinary Allied Health team is being established to provide high-quality care in collaboration with nursing, medical, and pharmacy teams. This is a unique opportunity to help shape a new model of care for WA's young people in a supportive, collaborative environment.
• Early Intervention (EI) Program: This outpatient role is available full-time or part-time. Applicants must have recent, substantial experience working with infants and toddlers (0–2 years) with neurological and developmental disabilities. A strong understanding of WA's disability sector and community services is essential, along with experience working in multidisciplinary teams delivering advanced early intervention for children with complex needs. Skills or interest in paediatric feeding disorders are desirable.
• Feeding Difficulties Team: A 12-month fixed-term parental leave cover is available, spanning inpatient and outpatient settings. Applicants must have current experience independently managing infants with PFD. Strong critical reasoning for differential diagnosis and well-developed communication skills are highly valued. Experience engaging with diverse stakeholders and educating families to support safe, patient-centred care is desirable. The role also involves contributing to service development, staff and student training, and clinical education. Opportunities to develop skills in VFSS and FEES may be offered following credentialing in PFD.
• Paediatric Neurorehabilitation: This role involves managing a range of acquired, developmental, and neurodegenerative conditions across acute, inpatient rehab, subacute, and outpatient settings. Specialist communication and dysphagia services are provided across areas including oncology, palliative care, and Children's Hospice. Opportunities are available for clinicians with experience in acute and community-based paediatric rehabilitation.
• Other Opportunities: Additional vacancies may arise during the 12-month recruitment pool, including roles within the Cleft Lip and Palate and Complex Airway Speech Pathology teams.

About the role:

We are seeking Senior Speech Pathologists to join our team at Perth Children's Hospital and deliver high quality, evidence-based, family centred care for children and young people as part of their medical journey.

As a Senior Speech Pathologist reporting to the Head of Department, you will:

• Provide evidence-based assessment, intervention, and evaluation of communication and/or swallowing disorders as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Actively prioritise and coordinate a clinical caseload including participate in clinical review meetings and case conferences as appropriate.
• Advise and support staff by coordinating caseloads, facilitating and promoting patient safety while complying with governance and regulatory requirements.
• Educate patients and their families / carers in post-discharge management, providing strategies to support their child's feeding and/or speech and language development at home and coordinating discharge summaries and referrals to other services as needed.
• Engage in self-study towards completion of certification/recognition in a specialty area as part of continuous professional development and education and supervising junior (P1) speech pathologists towards the same.
• Liaise with consumer groups including external agencies to represent CAHS. Provide education and training to internal and external stakeholders, and support referrals to community and NDIS, private providers.

A tertiary qualification in Speech Pathology and eligible for full membership of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) are requirements for this role.

Individuals with experience from an adult care environment can be supported in transitioning to our paediatric focused environment.

Why Join Us:

This role offers a fantastic opportunity for professional growth and development, with significant training and development opportunities as part of an ambitious, respectful, and collaborative team.

You will join a large and supportive team of over 25 Speech Pathologists and access a robust credentialing program including clinical educators and have opportunities for student supervision, teaching, training, and professional development.

Join us in our commitment to providing high-quality, patient-centred care and contributing to advancements in clinical practice and research.

About our Speech Pathology Team

Based at Perth Children's Hospital, our dedicated team provides a statewide service for children aged 0–16 years, as inpatients and outpatients, focusing on complex feeding and/or swallowing difficulties, complex neurological impairment, including acquired, genetic and degenerative conditions, as well as tertiary communication needs including articulation, voice, and language impairments.

Our specialised services include neonatal and paediatric critical care, subacute paediatric rehabilitation (Early Intervention, Complex Neurodisability Clinic and subacute- iRehab), Children's Hearing Implant Program (CHIP), specialist diagnostic clinics (such as Video Fluoroscopy Swallow Study (VFSS) services) and complex case management clinics (such as the Airway Voice Swallow Clinic and Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic).

We work with children and their families to provide consultation, intervention, rehabilitation, training and support. This includes establishing alternative communication methods, evaluation and guidance to promote safe feeding and adequate hydration and nutrition for infants and children.

We believe that every child deserves the best possible start in life and continue to work with patients and their families beyond the hospital setting including liaison with community-based providers, and support for transition to adult care.

How to apply

We welcome your application via the 'Apply for Job' button at the bottom of this page.

Your application should contain the following:

• A copy of your current CV outlining your most recent and relevant work experience along with evidence of your tertiary qualification in Speech Pathology and eligibility for certified practicing membership of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA).
• Please provide the name, email, and contact details of two refereeswho can be contacted to provide a reference. Referees should include at least one individual who has been or is your direct Line Manager/Supervisor. (We will contact you to seek your confirmation prior to contacting your listed referees).

Role related questions: We encourage you to contact Basia Hamden, Head of Department Speech Pathology on or email with any specific questions regarding this pool.

Help in submitting your application: If you experience technical difficulties while applying online, please contact Employee Services on for immediate assistance during business hours.

Eligibility:Australian citizenship or permanent residency is an essential requirement for applicants to be considered for permanent positions in the public sector. Fixed term opportunities are available for applicants with eligibility to work in Australia.

This position is subject to a Western Australian Working with Children (WWC) Check. For further information please refer to the WWC website at: 

Other Conditions:WA Health engages staff in positions of trust and responsibility. WA Health policies require applicants to undertake criminal records screening and integrity checking as part of the appointment process. Referees may also be asked to comment on an applicant's integrity and past demonstration of ethical behaviour.

WA Health is committed to eliminating all forms of discrimination in the provision of our service. We embrace diversity and strongly encourage applications from people from culturally diverse backgrounds and people with disabilities. In addition, we are committed to growing our Aboriginal workforce as part of WA Health Aboriginal Workforce Policy. As a measure to achieve equality, Section 51 of theEqual Opportunity Act 1984 applies to this position and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are encouraged to apply.

This is a recruitment pool, and as such the following should be noted.

• Suitable applicants will be placed in a pool from which appointments may be made when similar vacancies occur.
• Appointments may be made from this pool until 30 June 2026.

About CAHS:

The Child and Adolescent Health Service (CAHS) is proud to be the leading service provider for paediatric healthcare in Western Australia, as the State's only dedicated health service for infants, children and young people. CAHS comprises four service areas: Neonatology, Community Health, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and Perth Children's Hospital (PCH).

With over 6500 employees, our services are delivered at PCH and King Edward Memorial Hospitals (KEMH), as well as across a network of more than 170 community clinics across the Perth metropolitan area.

For further information about the benefits of working for CAHS and our services please click here.

CAHS is committed to providing a workplace culture that is driven and shaped by our values of Compassion, Collaboration, Equity, Respect, Excellence and Accountability.During the selection process you may be assessed on your ability to fulfil the responsibilities of this position in accordance with these values.

Supporting diversity and inclusion: If you have any access needs that may require adjustment to allow you to fully participate in the application and interview process, including alternate methods of communication, or for any confidential enquiries please contact the CAHS Talent Acquisition Team on or via email:

For Assistanceincluding any adjustment needed to accommodate a disability and confidential enquiries – please contact the Strategic Talent Acquisition Recruitment Team (START) service via email:.

Lodgement is system generated. Any submissions on, or after, 4:00pm on the closing date will not be accepted.

LATE OR EMAIL APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.