SEMH Residential Support Worker - Colchester

TeacherActive; Colchester; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

TeacherActive is recruiting for a Residential Support Worker in Colchester to help young people with SEMH needs in a supportive, structured setting.

You will work with young people who may have experienced trauma, supporting routines, emotional regulation and positive behavioural strategies while collaborating with a wider care team. A resilient, empathetic and patient approach is essential, with a professional boundary framework.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting SEMH or similar needs in education or care settings.
• Ability to build trust with young people and manage emotional dysregulation.
• Ability to de-escalate challenging situations safely and calmly.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day support to young people in residential setting
• Build trusting professional relationships
• Support routines and daily activities
• Help develop independence and life skills
• Support emotional regulation and coping strategies
• Respond to challenging situations using de-escalation techniques
• Maintain safeguarding and care procedures
• Record information and communicate with the wider team
• Promote positive social interaction and community access

Skills

De-escalation techniques

Trauma-informed approach

Communication with young people

Boundary management

Team collaboration

Job description

Are you confident, resilient and passionate about supporting children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs?

We are recruiting for a residential setting in the Colchester area, supporting young people who may have experienced trauma, disrupted relationships, challenging circumstances and difficulties managing their emotions and behaviour.

For this opportunity, relevant experience is important – but it does not necessarily need to come from a residential children's home.

We're particularly interested in people who already have the skills to build trust, manage challenging situations, maintain professional boundaries and remain calm when a young person is struggling.

Your Transferable Experience Matters

• SEMH schools or alternative provisions
• Children's residential homes
• Adult residential or supported living services
• Mental health services
• NHS mental health or psychiatric settings
• Prison Service or secure environments
• Youth offending or rehabilitation services
• Youth work, outreach or mentoring
• SEN and specialist education
• Care and support work
• Homelessness or vulnerable-person services

What matters is that you can demonstrate experience of working with people who may present with challenging behaviour, emotional dysregulation, trauma, mental health needs or complex social and emotional needs.

What Are We Looking For?

This isn't simply about having care experience on your CV. We're looking for people who understand that behaviour is often a form of communication.

The young people you support may struggle to trust adults, regulate their emotions or communicate how they're feeling. At times, this can result in challenging behaviour.

We're looking for someone who can look beyond the behaviour, understand what may be driving it and respond calmly and professionally.

• Remain calm under pressure and avoid escalating difficult situations
• Build positive relationships while maintaining clear professional boundaries
• Understand that trust may take time to develop
• Provide consistency, structure and reassurance
• Recognise potential triggers and changes in behaviour
• Use appropriate de-escalation techniques
• Communicate clearly with young people and colleagues
• Be patient when progress isn't immediate
• Encourage independence rather than simply doing things for a young person
• Work effectively as part of a wider support team
• Follow safeguarding procedures and individual support plans
• Be emotionally resilient while remaining compassionate

What Will You Be Doing?

As a Residential Support Worker, you'll play an important role in creating a safe, structured and supportive environment for young people.

• Providing day-to-day support to young people within the residential setting
• Building trusting and appropriate professional relationships
• Supporting young people with their routines and daily activities
• Helping individuals develop independence and practical life skills
• Supporting emotional regulation and positive coping strategies
• Responding appropriately to challenging situations
• Using positive behaviour support and de-escalation strategies
• Encouraging positive choices and decision-making
• Supporting young people to access education, activities and the wider community
• Promoting positive social interaction and communication
• Recording relevant information and communicating with the wider team
• Following safeguarding and care procedures
• Providing young people with consistency, stability and positive adult role models

Coming From the Prison Service, NHS or Mental Health Sector?

Don't underestimate how transferable your experience could be.

If you've worked within the Prison Service, you may already have excellent skills in de-escalation, maintaining boundaries, risk awareness, safeguarding, conflict management and remaining calm in high-pressure situations.

If you've worked within the NHS or mental health services, you may have experience supporting people experiencing emotional distress, mental health difficulties, crisis situations or complex behaviours.

If you've worked in residential care, supported living or children's services, you'll understand the importance of routine, consistency, safeguarding, relationship-building and person-centred support.

These are exactly the types of skills that can make someone successful within an SEMH residential environment.

The Person We're Looking For

• Resilient – you can handle difficult days without taking challenging behaviour personally
• Calm – you're able to think clearly when situations become challenging
• Consistent – you understand the importance of routines and boundaries
• Empathetic – you can see the young person behind the behaviour
• Confident – you're comfortable working with complex and challenging needs
• Patient – you understand that building trust and achieving progress takes time
• Reliable – young people need adults around them who are dependable
• Professional – you understand safeguarding, confidentiality and appropriate boundaries

Why Apply?

This is an excellent opportunity to take the experience you've already developed and transfer it into a rewarding residential SEMH environment.

You could be coming directly from another residential setting, or you might be looking to take your experience from mental health, healthcare, prisons, secure services, SEN or another support environment and use it in a different way.

Our staff are paid on a PAYE basis, so you can rest assured you're paying the correct level of Tax and National Insurance, with no hidden admin charges or umbrella deductions from your hard-earned pay.

If you have SEMH experience or strong transferable experience supporting challenging, vulnerable or complex individuals, we want to hear from you.

Interested?