Behavior Support Worker

Academics; Sutton; On-site; GBP 18,000 - 19,000; Full time

Job summary

Academics is seeking an SEMH Teaching Assistant / Behaviour Support Worker to join our Sutton team. You will support students aged 4-16 with SEMH needs in a specialist school setting, helping them re-engage with education and their futures. Start date September 2026.

This full-time role runs Monday to Friday with a pay rate of £95-£105 per day. You will build strong relationships, de-escalate challenging behaviour, and work with teachers and external professionals to deliver targeted

Qualifications

• Experience in mentoring or youth work.
• Counselling or therapeutic support exposure.
• Experience with supporting children who exhibit challenging behaviour.
• Experience with Looked After Children (LAC) preferred.
• Knowledge of trauma-informed practice or ACEs is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support students with SEMH needs in and out of the classroom.
• Manage and de-escalate challenging behaviour.
• Act as a positive role model and mentor to students.
• Deliver targeted interventions and support strategies.
• Collaborate with teaching staff and external professionals.

Job description

SEMH Teaching Assistant / Behaviour Support Worker

Location: Sutton

Start Date: September 2026

Full-Time | Monday - Friday

All-age setting: supporting children aged 4-16 years

Pay rate: £95 - £105 per day

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of young people who need it most in Sutton? We are an SEMH/EBD specialist SEN school in Sutton seeking resilient, empathetic, and committed individuals to join our team. This role is ideal for people who understand the realities many of our students face and can build strong, trusting relationships that support positive change.

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience in:

• Mentoring or youth work
• Counselling or therapeutic support
• Supporting children with challenging behaviour
• Working with Looked After Children (LAC)
• Supporting young people vulnerable to gang involvement or exploitation
• Working with children affected by drug-related environments or poverty
• Trauma-informed practice and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
• Behaviour support or intervention roles
• Community outreach or support intervention programmes
• Sports coaching or activity-based youth engagement

This role suits individuals who bring real-world understanding, patience, and consistency. Many of our students in Camden have experienced disruption, instability, or trauma, and need adults who can provide structure, boundaries, and genuine care.

What we're looking for:

• Strong relationship-building skills
• Calm, confident approach to behaviour management
• Ability to engage and motivate hard-to-reach young people
• A team player with a proactive mindset
• Urban-minded individuals who can relate to the backgrounds of our students

What you'll be doing:

• Supporting students with SEMH needs in and out of the classroom
• Managing and de-escalating challenging behaviour
• Acting as a positive role model and mentor
• Delivering targeted interventions and support strategies
• Working closely with teaching staff and external professionals

This is more than a job - it's an opportunity to positively impact lives and help young people in Sutton re-engage with education and their futures.

If you have the experience, resilience, and drive to support vulnerable young people in an urban SEMH setting in Sutton, we want to hear from you.

Salary will be determined by the successful candidate's qualifications and relevant experience, and will be in accordance with the client's pay policy