Teaching Assistant

Senploy; Liverpool City Region; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 27,000; Full time

Job summary

Senploy is seeking a compassionate Specialist Behaviour & Autism Support Assistant for a full-time, long-term role in Knowsley, Merseyside. You will work closely with pupils with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and SEMH needs, supporting emotional security, communication and confidence to participate in education.

Immediate start and close collaboration with teachers and SEN professionals are expected. You'll provide one-to-one and small-group support, build trusting relationships, recognise

Qualifications

• Experience supporting children with autism (ASC) and SEMH needs.
• Ability to recognise early signs of anxiety and distress.
• Ability to adapt activities for differing communication needs.
• Willingness to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Responsibilities

• Providing one-to-one and small-group support for pupils with ASC and SEMH.
• Building positive, trusting relationships with children who may struggle to engage.
• Recognising early signs of anxiety, distress or sensory overload.
• Using de-escalation and co-regulation strategies during challenging moments.
• Helping pupils understand and manage their emotions.
• Supporting individual behaviour plans and positive behaviour strategies.
• Adapting learning activities to different communication and learning styles.
• Encouraging independence, resilience and problem-solving in pupils.
• Supporting EHCPs and transitions between lessons and environments.
• Using visual timetables and predictable routines to aid learning.
• Collaborating with teachers and SEN professionals to maintain a safe classroom.

Skills

ASC & SEMH support

De-escalation

Emotional regulation

Relationship building

Communication support

EHCPs experience

SEN experience

Job description

Location: Knowsley, Merseyside

Contract: Full-Time | Long-Term

Start Date: ASAP

A pupil walks out of a lesson without warning.

Another becomes distressed when their usual routine changes.

A young person refuses to complete their work, despite having the ability to do so.

In specialist education, these moments aren't simply about behaviour. They can be signs of anxiety, sensory overload, communication difficulties or a child struggling to manage emotions they don't yet understand.

What happens next can make all the difference.

We're looking for a compassionate, confident and resilient Specialist Behaviour & Autism Support Assistant to join a supportive educational setting in Knowsley.

You’ll work with children and young people with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, helping them develop the emotional security, communication skills and confidence needed to participate in education.

This is a full-time, long-term opportunity with an immediate start, ideal for someone who understands that supporting behaviour begins with understanding the individual.

Every pupil brings different experiences, strengths and challenges into the classroom.

Some children may struggle to communicate their feelings, while others may find social situations overwhelming or experience significant anxiety around learning.

You could be supporting pupils who experience:

• Autism (ASC) - including sensory sensitivities, communication differences and difficulties managing unexpected changes.
• Autism (ASC) - including sensory sensitivities, communication differences and difficulties managing unexpected changes.
• SEMH needs - including anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties, low self-esteem and challenges developing trusting relationships.
• SEMH needs - including anxiety, emotional regulation difficulties, low self-esteem and challenges developing trusting relationships.
• ADHD - affecting attention, impulsivity, organisation and emotional regulation.
• ADHD - affecting attention, impulsivity, organisation and emotional regulation.
• Communication difficulties - making it harder for pupils to express their needs, feelings or frustrations.
• Communication difficulties - making it harder for pupils to express their needs, feelings or frustrations.
• Trauma-related difficulties - where previous experiences may influence how a young person responds to adults, relationships and school environments.
• Trauma-related difficulties - where previous experiences may influence how a young person responds to adults, relationships and school environments.
• Behaviour that challenges - which may arise when pupils feel overwhelmed, misunderstood or unable to communicate effectively.
• Behaviour that challenges - which may arise when pupils feel overwhelmed, misunderstood or unable to communicate effectively.

Your responsibility won't simply be to respond when situations become difficult.

It will be to help create the conditions where pupils feel safe, understood and increasingly able to manage challenges independently.

Working alongside teachers, SENCOs and pastoral professionals, you’ll provide consistent support throughout the school day.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing one-to-one and small-group support for pupils with ASC and SEMH.
• Providing one-to-one and small-group support for pupils with ASC and SEMH.
• Building positive, trusting relationships with children who may find it difficult to engage with adults.
• Building positive, trusting relationships with children who may find it difficult to engage with adults.
• Recognising early signs of anxiety, distress or sensory overload.
• Recognising early signs of anxiety, distress or sensory overload.
• Using appropriate de-escalation and co-regulation strategies to support pupils during challenging moments.
• Using appropriate de-escalation and co-regulation strategies to support pupils during challenging moments.
• Helping pupils understand, communicate and manage their emotions.
• Helping pupils understand, communicate and manage their emotions.
• Supporting individual behaviour plans and agreed positive behaviour strategies.
• Supporting individual behaviour plans and agreed positive behaviour strategies.
• Adapting learning activities to accommodate different communication and learning styles.
• Adapting learning activities to accommodate different communication and learning styles.
• Encouraging pupils to develop independence, resilience and problem-solving skills.
• Encouraging pupils to develop independence, resilience and problem-solving skills.
• Supporting children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
• Supporting children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).
• Helping pupils manage transitions between lessons, activities and environments.
• Helping pupils manage transitions between lessons, activities and environments.
• Using visual timetables, predictable routines and communication resources.
• Using visual timetables, predictable routines and communication resources.
• Encouraging positive peer relationships and appropriate social interaction.
• Encouraging positive peer relationships and appropriate social interaction.
• Supporting pupils to re-engage with learning following periods of emotional distress.
• Supporting pupils to re-engage with learning following periods of emotional distress.
• Observing and sharing information about pupil progress, behaviour patterns and support needs.
• Observing and sharing information about pupil progress, behaviour patterns and support needs.
• Working collaboratively with teachers and specialist professionals to maintain a safe and inclusive learning environment.
• Working collaboratively with teachers and specialist professionals to maintain a safe and inclusive learning environment.

Above all, you’ll provide consistency and reassurance, particularly for pupils who find school life unpredictable or overwhelming.

Success in this role can look very different from one day to the next.

It might be helping a pupil return to the classroom after becoming overwhelmed.

Supporting a child to communicate that they need a break instead of becoming distressed.

Encouraging a young person who struggles with relationships to begin trusting another adult.

Or recognising that a pupil who previously avoided learning has started participating for a few minutes each day.

These achievements may seem small from the outside, but for children with ASC and SEMH needs, they can represent significant progress.

You’ll be helping pupils develop the skills they need not just for school, but for everyday life.

We’re particularly interested in candidates who have experience supporting children, young people or vulnerable individuals.

• SEND Teaching Assistant or Learning Support Assistant.
• SEND Teaching Assistant or Learning Support Assistant.
• Behaviour Support Assistant or Behaviour Mentor.
• Behaviour Support Assistant or Behaviour Mentor.
• SEMH Teaching Assistant.
• SEMH Teaching Assistant.
• Autism Support Worker.
• Autism Support Worker.
• Children's Residential Support Worker.
• Children's Residential Support Worker.
• Youth Worker or Youth Mentor.
• Youth Worker or Youth Mentor.
• Pastoral Support Assistant.
• Pastoral Support Assistant.
• Mental Health Support Worker.
• Mental Health Support Worker.
• Care or support roles involving additional needs.
• Care or support roles involving additional needs.

We also welcome applications from psychology graduates, education graduates and individuals considering careers in specialist education, particularly those with relevant practical experience.

Previous experience supporting autism, SEMH, emotional regulation difficulties or behaviour that challenges would be highly advantageous.

Working in an SEMH and autism-support environment requires more than simply following classroom instructions.

We’re looking for someone who can:

• Remain calm, patient and professional when situations become challenging.
• Remain calm, patient and professional when situations become challenging.
• Recognise that behaviour may communicate an unmet need.
• Recognise that behaviour may communicate an unmet need.
• Build relationships through consistency, empathy and clear boundaries.
• Build relationships through consistency, empathy and clear boundaries.
• Respond positively to individual differences.
• Respond positively to individual differences.
• Adapt their approach to suit different pupils and circumstances.
• Adapt their approach to suit different pupils and circumstances.
• Understand the importance of predictable routines and positive reinforcement.
• Understand the importance of predictable routines and positive reinforcement.
• Work collaboratively with teachers, SENCOs and pastoral teams.
• Work collaboratively with teachers, SENCOs and pastoral teams.
• Encourage independence rather than creating unnecessary reliance on adult support.
• Encourage independence rather than creating unnecessary reliance on adult support.
• Maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality and safeguarding standards.
• Maintain professional boundaries, confidentiality and safeguarding standards.
• Celebrate progress, even when it happens gradually.
• Celebrate progress, even when it happens gradually.

You’ll need to be reliable, emotionally resilient and willing to learn from the experienced professionals around you.

An Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, or willingness to obtain one, will be required.

Alongside the satisfaction of making a difference, this position offers valuable opportunities to develop your experience within specialist education.

The role offers:

• Full-time, long-term employment in Knowsley.
• Full-time, long-term employment in Knowsley.
• An immediate start for the successful candidate.
• An immediate start for the successful candidate.
• Practical experience supporting children with ASC and SEMH.
• Practical experience supporting children with ASC and SEMH.
• Opportunities to develop behaviour-support and emotional regulation strategies.
• Opportunities to develop behaviour-support and emotional regulation strategies.
• Experience working with individual support plans and EHCPs.
• Experience working with individual support plans and EHCPs.
• Exposure to specialist teaching and communication approaches.
• Exposure to specialist teaching and communication approaches.
• Opportunities to strengthen your understanding of inclusive education.
• Opportunities to strengthen your understanding of inclusive education.
• Valuable experience for those considering progression into specialist SEND, pastoral support, behaviour support or teaching.
• Valuable experience for those considering progression into specialist SEND, pastoral support, behaviour support or teaching.

For some children, school can feel overwhelming, unpredictable or frustrating.

They may have experienced repeated setbacks, struggled to build relationships or found it difficult to believe they can succeed.

Having a consistent adult who listens, understands their needs and responds with patience can begin to change that experience.

You won’t have all the answers on day one.

But with the right attitude, a willingness to learn and a genuine commitment to supporting young people, you can make a lasting difference.

If you’re passionate about supporting pupils with autism and SEMH needs, and you’re ready for a new opportunity in Knowsley, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply today with your CV for an ASAP start as a Specialist Behaviour & Autism Support Assistant.