Lauralondon00 Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Hello! I'm looking for some advise and guidance! It looks like you have all been in the sme boat as myself not so long ago!! I'm currently working as an SLT (rcslt member) in mainstream schools so I don't have any dysphagia experience! I am looking to move to Sydney next January 2013! But looking into it now I'm wondering what's the best way to get dysphagia experience and do I really need it to get a job as a speech therapist in Sydney? Any help, ideas, tips or advise would really be appreciated!!! Thank you laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Hi Laura Even if you don't intend to ever work in dysphagia, you have to get SPA to recognise your UK qualifications. With regard to dysphagia, this means being trained to the same standard as Australian newly qualified therapists. You may be able to proove that your UK undergrad training is sufficient, but in my case they wanted more evidence of my experience working in dysphagia once I'd qualified. This was in 2009 though, so things may have changed. I'd recommend that you contact SPA and see what they say. I live and work in Sydney and my employer will assist UK SLTs with employer sponsored visas. Let me know if you want any further info about anything ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauralondon00 Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Thank you Naomi that was really helpful, I will look into Uni and also see if I can get some voluntary experience this year! How long does it take SPA to assess my application just wondering when I should be sending it in. Thank you do much really appreciate your help laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 Well my application in 2009 took longer than average because they rejected me at first due to insufficient evidence of dysphagia competencies. Once I'd submitted it, think it took about 9 months inc the re-submission and time to get my manager to write letters etc. Global Health Source are quite useful if you want help finding a private job. If you don't want to work privately it's better to contact non-profit organisations directly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ktls Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 Hi fellow SLT's, i am here too, but in Victoria not Sydney. Is anyone else working in Vic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Hi fellow SLT's, i am here too, but in Victoria not Sydney. Is anyone else working in Vic? Hello, what's it like working in Vic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ktls Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 i work for an Early Intervention Team which is fantastic, very very different to Uk, but that's exactly what i wanted, a change! Working in Vic is great, mixed weather but everyone is friendly. whereabouts are you? i think i was reading some of your posts fro months ago and you were planning on working in Sydney (i think??) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted March 4, 2012 Author Share Posted March 4, 2012 Sounds great ) I'm here in Sydney, been working mainly with kids / adults with CP for 4 months now. I love it - all about quality rather than quantity, so the opposite from my NHS job in that respect. And I couldn't ask for a more spportive, friendly team. My friends back home tell me that redundencies / regradings are likely for band 8s and 7s. Sounds pretty horrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sarahrolo Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 HELLO! I'm new on the site and in desperate need of some help!!! I'm a speech therapist in the UK hoping to move to sydney asap! I know you need a dysphagia course and I've been recommended to do an online one but I can't find one - has anyone got a recommendation?? Also, I'm hoping to work in Autism so if anyone knows of any jobs or anywhere to look for jobs let me know!! I'm a rookie at this! Thanks so much for any help you have!! Sarah Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KGIRL Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Hi all, I just stumbled upon this forum - just what I was looking for! I am moving to Sydney from Ireland at the end of January 2013 and I am a newly qualified SLT. Myself & my partner are leaving Ireland for a better quality of life and better career opportunities. I completed a post grad course in SLT with dysphagia training, and have literally just graduated. I'm really excited about moving however I'm terrified that I won't get work as an SLT. Any advice/suggestions etc?? I do intend on submitting a complete application to SPA (as I'm not eligible to apply through the MRA) but I'm just terrified!!! HELP!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Hello. I'm sorry I don't know anything about the online dysphagia course, I assume it'll be set up by Sydney Uni and I guess there would be a practical component? May be tricky to organise that bit if they don't orgsnise it for you. But maybe there isn't - I dunno! Seems to be quite a few jobs in Sydney for therapists with a couple of yrs or so experience, it's more competitive for new grads but still much better situation than in the UK. You can always get a job with a private practise if that's what u want (private doesn't sound great to me, but I guess it suits some people, look on the SEEK website. Have to say I've come accross a couple of really dodgy private therapists since I've been here. There's excellent ones too though!) I'd advise looking for jobs with not for profit organisations (usually partly government and partly charity funded) or with NSW health (you can searxh for jobs on the NSW Health website) or with ADHC (government funded service for people with learning disabilities, which they refer to as intellectual disabilities over here). There's a few Autism specific services in Sydney, Northcott has an early childhood autism service (I worked in that team whilst on a working holiday visa) and there's ASPECT. For some reason kids with autism only get funding up to their 7th birthday ... Good luck! (I've written loads!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KGIRL Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usha5 Posted March 13, 2013 Share Posted March 13, 2013 Hi all, I am a newly qualified speech therapist and I have a overseas degree. Very recently I came to the Australia and planning to work here as a SLT, I want to get the membership of SPA,but I have no working experiences.So I want to know that for getting membership is necessary the working experiences?? I live in Melbourne and I prefer to work as a volunteer or as a assistant,If anyone can help me It will be a great help.. many thanks!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agapantas Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Hi all! I am a SLT who is planning on moving to Oz next year some time. I have a couple of years experience but haven't officially worked as an SLT (apart from some part time volunteer work overseas) for about 3 years now. I'm hoping the length of time out of practice won't make finding a job or registering with SPA a lot more difficult! I am planning on doing the post basic dysphagia course in Manchester this year and gaining the experience I need for that. I researched a lot online about this though and found this online course with the University of Auckland. http://www.speechtherapy.org.nz/infoSLTs/PD/UoADysphagiaSLT.e-learning2013 Not sure if this is the one that sarahrolo was looking for but it does say that it is meets the SPA and NZSTA requirements for dysphagia. Only problems are the price (really expensive!!) and there's no practical component, which I presume SPA would still look for? A while back some posters said that registering with SPA isn't essential to get a job, does anyone know if that's still true? And does being registered give you much of an advantage in regards to finding a job? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted April 1, 2013 Author Share Posted April 1, 2013 Usha5 - I've never come across any assistants over here, but there's lots of volunteer opportunities. I think that the amount of work experience you'll need for eligibility for membersip with SPA depends on the country your degree is from. I'm afraid I don't know much more than that, you'll need to check the SPA website. Agapantas - in order to work over here you need to have 'eligibility' to be a member of SPA, you don't actually need to join unless you're working privately. Most practising speechies over here who work for not-for-profit organisations or government funded health services aren't members of SPA (it's generally considered to be a waste of money). Once SPA approves your qualifications, they'll send you are letter saying you're 'eligible' for membership. This is all you need to apply for jobs (unless you want to work for a private pracitce). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
agapantas Posted April 2, 2013 Share Posted April 2, 2013 Agapantas - in order to work over here you need to have 'eligibility' to be a member of SPA, you don't actually need to join unless you're working privately. Most practising speechies over here who work for not-for-profit organisations or government funded health services aren't members of SPA (it's generally considered to be a waste of money). Once SPA approves your qualifications, they'll send you are letter saying you're 'eligible' for membership. This is all you need to apply for jobs (unless you want to work for a private pracitce). Many thanks for the information Naomi! Sounds like a similar situation to Ireland so! It's great to have found this forum, I know a few physios and OTs who have gone to Oz but no Speechies so it's fantastic to hear about the experiences of others. Does anyone know how likely the not-for -profit organisations or government funded health services would be to sponsor your visa application either before or after you start working for them? I had been looking at the skilled independent visa but it's just so expensive and I'm not sure I can afford paying for that and then going over and not being able to find a job for a while! Or would having a shorter term visa (even with plans to renew and stay longer) hinder my chances of getting a job in the first place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted April 2, 2013 Author Share Posted April 2, 2013 Hiya, the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) are the only not for profit I know of who sponsor. In 2011 they went over to the UK to recruit, but they've also since sponsored speechies without conducting face to face interviews. They are based in NSW, with several centres in Sydney and also in rural areas. I'd recommend contacting them, even if there's no current jobs on the website: http://www.cerebralpalsy.org.au/ I'm not sure they'd sponsor someone with less than a few yrs experience (there's plenty of Australian newly qualified therapists looking for jobs). Global Health Source are an agency who have lots of links with private employers all over Australia who sponsor, and whether you end up finding a job through them or not, they're very good at providing info to allied health people trying to make the move: http://www.globalhealth.com.au/ I first came to Australia in 2009 on a temporary working holiday visa. I came over without a job lined up and at that time it took me about 2 months to get a temporary 6 month contract with Northcott Disability Services (a not for profit), they were happy to have me just to get their waiting list down a bit. When I was there, they did offer to sponsor me so that I could stay on (this would have just involved getting me the visa, no re-location costs or anything). It's unlikely they'd sponsor someone who isn't already in the country, but they have interviewed UK applicants over the phone who alrwady have eligibility with SPA: http://www.northcott.com.au/ Similar story with government health; I don't think they'd sponsor people but they do recruit people from the UK who have eligibility with SPA via telephone interviews - so you could potentially have a job lined up before you come over, see https://nswhealth.erecruit.com.au/SearchResults.aspx?k=speech+pathologist&C=0&L=0&E=0&I=0&J=0&SC=0&P=0&S=0&H=0 and http://jobs.nsw.gov.au/ if you're looking at NSW. However, I think there's something going on with the employer sponsored visas at the moment, are the government trying to get rid of them or something? I'm not sure. A skilled independent is definately the safest route. It took me the best part of a year to get mine, and then I started looking for jobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauralondon00 Posted April 3, 2013 Share Posted April 3, 2013 Hi Agapantas I arrived in Sydney end of January, first I had to submit a portfolio to SPA for them to assess my eligibility, I did this before I left London it took about 2 months. They they sent out a letter to say you can work as a speech therapist in Oz if you passed all their competencies (in particular dysphagia). I came out on a 12 month working visa and I've been offered 2 jobs with sponsorship with private practices. You need to have full time work in order to be sponsored. some practices will request that you are a member of SPA so may have to join it then! it depends on the practice. Contact private practices prior to coming out to see if you can set up interviews once you arrive and even if you can't you can do all that out here. SEEK website is good to join as it emails you when speech jobs come up. Hope this helps any other questions just email! Good luck! laura Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishborn Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Hello all! i really want to move to Australia to work as an SLT. I've been working over a year in the UK and studied here. I have now come across this dysphagia business which has thrown a spammer in the works as it is really unclear as to whether or not i had enough undergrad training. It appears that I don't so was wondering if anyone had any advice about how to achieve the level of competence required? I currently work with children in schools and dysphagia is not on my caseload and not really possible to obtain experience in my current role. I have looked into doing the e learning course at university of Auckland but it is over 3000 dollars for international students! On the dysphagia guidelines for SPA it says about 30-40 hours experience is enough I think of observation as well. But it is so unclear I get more confused every time I read it! Does anyone know any more than I do!? Your help would be greatly appreciated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted August 13, 2013 Author Share Posted August 13, 2013 Hello, I think the criteria has probably changed since I applied for eligibility with SPA, so I'm not sure what to advise. SPA's guidelines have always been very unclear though, I remember reading that they were asking for experience in all areas of dysphagia; NICU babies through to older adults - no one has this breadth of experience! In reality they didn't require this, it's just what the guidelines suggested (or used to, anyway). I think you should pick up the phone and talk to them directly. They were quite helpful when I phoned them (more so than when I emailed). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishborn Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Hi Hi did phone them as they didn't reply to my email. They were not very helpful on the phone either just told me what I pretty much already knew. I'm now thinking of just applying to get most of my application approved and then see what they say about the dysphagia. Did they give you any specific info about what more you needed in dysphagia when they originally sent your application back? Then I'm hoping it won't take as long to re submit it if it is only the dysphagia stuff? Also did you have to pay again when you resubmitted the dysphagia information? Many thanks for your help its so difficult to find any info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauralondon00 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 Hi! i worked in London for a few years and came to Oz last January 2013, but last sept/oct I submitted my MRA portfolio to SPA, I knew I didn't have all the dysphagia requirements needed so that summer I shadowed a colleague who had a dysphagia caseload I did a few visits with her, seen a video fluoroscopy and wrote up a case study on it all. I also included my dysphagia module from Uni and I had a letter from a clinical supervisor from a placement in Uni! It all took about three months to process and I got approved with all that just before I arrived in jan. my friend also came out and she just sent off her portfolio with some dysphagia info but she knew it wasn't enough and they wrote back to her asking her to prove her dysphagia competence. They sent her material to read and I think a DVD to watch and then she had to submit 10 answers to questions they sent her. When she submitted that they approved her. She didn't have to pay more to resubmit dysphagia info. Hope this helps good luck laura HiHi did phone them as they didn't reply to my email. They were not very helpful on the phone either just told me what I pretty much already knew. I'm now thinking of just applying to get most of my application approved and then see what they say about the dysphagia. Did they give you any specific info about what more you needed in dysphagia when they originally sent your application back? Then I'm hoping it won't take as long to re submit it if it is only the dysphagia stuff? Also did you have to pay again when you resubmitted the dysphagia information? Many thanks for your help its so difficult to find any info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naomi from Manchester Posted August 15, 2013 Author Share Posted August 15, 2013 When I first submitted my application, SPA said that in addition to what I'd already given them (which included a letter from my uni, details about on the job supervision I'd received, a summary of my dysphagia experience since I'd been working which was special school kids and ALD only, info on the basic dysphagia training I'd delivered to care staff and school staff, and a letter from my clinical supervisor saying I was managing my caseload with 'distant supervision'), they wanted my supervisor to re-write her letter saying that I was competent in dysphagia rather than managing my dysphagia caseload with 'distant supervision.' I think they wanted to hear that i was autonomous. My supervisor wouldn't allow this to be said, she insisted on the 'distant supervision' disclaimer. My manager (who was trying hard to help me, unlike my supervisor who was a complete cow), wrote another letter explaining that managing my own dysphagia caseload with 'distant supervision' meant that I accessed clinical support for difficult cases as I required it. She also tried to stress the complexity of my caseload, but without my supervisor's say-so she was unable to write that I was simply 'competent.' I can understand this on one level - I mean unless you're a specialist band 7 or something, are you ever really 'competent' and never having to access support? However, it didn't matter as this second letter was accepted and I didn't have to pay SPA anymore money. This was a few yrs ago and from LauraLondon's reply it sounds like things may be a bit easier now? Sorry to hear SPA weren't helpful on the phone. You know you don't need to prove this dysphagia stuff if you want to work in NZ (I know SLTs who've gone to NZ rather than Oz for this reason). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alana B Posted December 29, 2013 Share Posted December 29, 2013 Hi everyone, I realise this thread has been going for a couple of years and not looked at since August 2013, but thought I would take my chances and seek the advice of you fine people..... I am a UK fourth year speech and language therapy student looking to move to oz in October (hopefully!). Now obviously there are several issues for me: firstly I will not be able to apply for SPA reg until July when I receive my final grades and even then it will have to be the complete registration as I will be newly qualified. I am hoping to go along as a dependent on my husbands visa and we are aiming for October to get out there. I have a few concerns, firstly how long the registration takes and secondly whether or not they will even accept my application? Do you absolutely need to be registered to practise in oz? Obviously I appreciate being registered is the best option, but will employers consider me without it (i.e. if I started applying for jobs prior to the completion of the application). I am extremely worried about the whole process as we now really have our heart set on moving out there at the back end of 2014; I just feel there is so much to do and take in, it is so overwhelming and no one I know has been in my position to ask. Any advice or support you can offer me would be very warmly welcomed! Many Thanks Alana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodi73red Posted December 31, 2013 Share Posted December 31, 2013 im not a speech therapist but the parent of a child who needs to have some we are very lucky in rural south australia there are a few we can choose from the one we have been offered is from Canada so maybe look into country area's there may be more jobs available and good luck to you all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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