Mental Health Support Assistant

Protocol Education Ltd; South Shields; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading education provider is seeking a dedicated Mental Health Support Assistant in South Shields to help young people with mental health and emotional wellbeing. This role involves working closely with students, developing coping skills, and collaborating with educational teams. Applicants should have experience in similar environments and a passion for supporting youth.

Benefits

Competitive daily pay

Specialist training in mental health support

Dedicated consultant with local knowledge

Long-term roles and pathways into careers

Local work opportunities

Qualifications

• Experience supporting children or young people with mental health needs.
• Willingness to apply for an enhanced DBS.
• A genuine passion for helping young people thrive.

Responsibilities

• Support pupils with anxiety, trauma, and emotional regulation difficulties.
• Promote positive mental health strategies.
• Monitor progress and contribute to behaviour reports.

Skills

Calm approach

Nurturing approach

Knowledge of safeguarding

Trauma-informed practice

Behaviour de-escalation

Education

Enhanced DBS on Update Service

Job description

Job Title: Mental Health Support Assistant
Location: South Shields
Contract Type: Full-Time
Start Date: September 2025
Salary: £89 - £108 per day (depending on experience)

Are you passionate about supporting children and young people with their mental health and emotional wellbeing?
Do you want to make a real impact in a school setting, helping students overcome barriers to learning?

Protocol Education is working closely with a number of schools and alternative provisions in South Shields who are looking to appoint dedicated and emotionally resilient Mental Health Support Assistants to join their pastoral and inclusion teams.

The Role:

As a Mental Health Support Assistant, you will:

• Work 1:1 and with small groups to support pupils with anxiety, trauma, low mood, and emotional regulation difficulties.

• Promote positive mental health strategies and provide safe spaces for reflection and conversation.

• Assist pupils in developing coping skills, resilience, and improved engagement with learning.

• Collaborate with SENCOs, pastoral teams and external agencies to deliver a joined-up approach to support.

• Monitor progress and contribute to emotional support plans and behaviour reports.

Ideal Candidates Will Have:

• Experience supporting children or young people with mental health needs (in schools, care, youth work, or similar settings).

• A calm, non-judgmental and nurturing approach.

• Knowledge of safeguarding, trauma-informed practice or behaviour de-escalation.

• A genuine passion for helping young people thrive.

• An enhanced DBS on the Update Service, or willingness to apply for one.

What Protocol Education Offers:

• Competitive daily pay (£89 - £108), paid weekly via PAYE.

• Specialist training in mental health support, safeguarding and behaviour management.

• A dedicated consultant with local SEND and SEMH knowledge.

• Long-term roles and pathways into school-based mental health careers.

• Local work across South Shields and the wider South Tyneside area.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details.

All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.

Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.

Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.