What a speech-language pathologist does
Speech-language pathologists assess and treat difficulties with speech, language, voice, fluency, cognitive communication and swallowing. They work with children who are late to talk, adults recovering from stroke or brain injury, and older adults with swallowing problems. For an employer, an SLP fills a gap that few other clinicians can cover, and their assessments often shape education plans, discharge decisions and long-term care.
SLP roles differ sharply by population: a preschool clinician, a school board SLP and a hospital dysphagia specialist need different experience. Finch asks who the SLP will see, what assessments and reporting are expected, and whether the work includes travel or virtual sessions. We confirm registration with the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists of Ontario (CASLPO) and screen for the clinical experience your caseload demands.
Typical responsibilities
- Assess speech, language, fluency, voice and swallowing
- Develop and deliver individualized treatment and home programs
- Write assessment reports and recommendations for families, schools or care teams
- Coach parents, teachers and caregivers to support communication
- Assess and manage swallowing disorders in hospital or long-term care settings
- Supervise communicative disorders assistants where the program uses them
Qualifications and credentials
- Current registration with CASLPO as a speech-language pathologist
- Master's degree in speech-language pathology or equivalent recognized education
- Experience with your population, such as preschool, school-age, adult neurological or dysphagia
- Professional liability insurance
- Comfort with virtual therapy where the role includes it
Who hires a speech-language pathologist
- School boards and preschool speech programs
- Hospitals and rehabilitation centres
- Private speech therapy clinics
- Children's treatment centres
- Long-term care homes
Where we recruit speech-language pathologist candidates
We fill speech-language pathologist roles for employers across Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Oshawa and Pickering, and for employers across Canada. GTA employers can meet us at our North York office by appointment.
What Finch checks before you meet a candidate
- Confirm CASLPO registration and any terms, conditions or limitations
- Match clinical population and assessment experience to your caseload
- Discuss caseload, travel and virtual care expectations
- Review experience supervising communicative disorders assistants, if relevant
- Check references from clinical leads or program managers
Interview questions to ask
- How do you involve parents or caregivers in a child's therapy between sessions?
- Describe how you assess a patient with a suspected swallowing difficulty.
- How do you prioritize a waitlist when demand exceeds your available time?