Location: Haywards Heath, West Sussex
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30am–3:30pm
Contract: Full-time, temporary to permanent
Start Date: After October half term
Daily Rate: £100 per day
Are you a Teaching Assistant, SEN Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant or SEMH Support Worker looking for a role where you can make a genuine difference to young people’s lives?
We are working with a specialist hospital education provision in Haywards Heath, supporting secondary-aged young people who are receiving inpatient treatment for significant mental health needs.
This is a unique opportunity to work in a highly supportive and specialist environment, where education plays an important part in helping young people maintain routine, rebuild confidence and continue progressing while receiving treatment.
You will be supporting pupils on a 1:1 and small-group basis, working alongside teachers and a wider multidisciplinary team to ensure learning is accessible, meaningful and appropriate for each individual.
The young people are aged approximately 12–18, working across Key Stages 3–5. Pupils may have experienced significant disruption to their education and may be working below age-related expectations as a result of missed education.
The provision supports young people experiencing a range of complex needs, which can include:
Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs
Acute mental health difficulties
Eating disorders
Anxiety and emotional regulation difficulties
Low confidence and school-related anxiety
Gaps in education and lower academic attainment
Difficulties engaging with traditional education
Additional SEND needs
As a Teaching Assistant / SEN Teaching Assistant, you will:
Provide 1:1 and small-group support with learning
Support pupils to access personalised learning programmes
Work closely with class teachers to adapt activities and resources
Help pupils rebuild confidence and engagement with education
Support emotional regulation and positive behaviour
Encourage pupils to participate in lessons and activities
Build positive, trusting relationships with young people
Help pupils develop independence and confidence
Support academic, social and emotional progress
Work closely with teachers, medical professionals and other members of the wider team
Encourage pupils to recognise their strengths and celebrate their progress
We’re particularly interested in people who have experience working with SEND, SEMH, mental health, challenging behaviour, vulnerable young people or Alternative Provision.
You may have experience as a:
Teaching Assistant
SEN Teaching Assistant
SEND Teaching Assistant
Learning Support Assistant
SEMH Teaching Assistant
Behaviour Mentor
Youth Worker
Support Worker
Mental Health Support Worker
Residential Support Worker
Previous experience within a mental health, hospital, SEND, SEMH or Alternative Provision setting would be highly beneficial, but we’re also keen to hear from people with the right attitude, resilience and willingness to learn.
You will need to be:
Patient, calm and emotionally resilient
Compassionate and non-judgemental
Confident building relationships with young people
Adaptable and able to respond to individual needs
Comfortable working as part of a multidisciplinary team
Proactive and willing to get involved
Able to maintain professional boundaries
Passionate about helping young people re-engage with education
This isn’t a traditional classroom Teaching Assistant role.
You’ll be working with young people who may have faced significant barriers to education and who require a highly personalised, nurturing and consistent approach.
You’ll have the opportunity to develop valuable experience across SEND, SEMH, Alternative Provision, hospital education and mental health, while working alongside experienced education and healthcare professionals.
If you’re someone who believes that strong relationships come before learning and wants a role where your support can genuinely impact a young person’s journey, we’d love to hear from you.
If you’re interested in this SEMH Teaching Assistant / SEN Teaching Assistant opportunity in Haywards Heath, please apply with your CV.
Pink Tile Education – Best Fit, Every Time.
The advertised daily rate is inclusive of 12.07% PAYE holiday pay.
Pink Tile Education is committed to safeguarding children and young people. All candidates will be subject to appropriate DBS checks, references and safeguarding procedures.
Register with Pink Tile Education today to hear about further SEND, SEMH, Alternative Provision and Teaching Assistant opportunities across West Sussex.
If you want, I can also make this slightly more punchy for Indeed to attract more applicants while keeping all the important mental-health/SEND keywords.
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