Location: Preston, LancashireStart Date: September 2026Contract Type: Full Academic Year (Sept 2026 – July 2027), Term-Time OnlySalary: Paid to NJC Scale from Day 1About the Role

Are you currently working in a children's residential home and looking for a better work-life balance? If you want to drop the waking nights, weekend shifts, and irregular hours while keeping your passion for supporting vulnerable youth, transitioning into a school environment is the perfect step forward.

We are actively recruiting for secondary schools across Preston who are seeking SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health) Teaching Assistants and Behaviour Mentors for the upcoming academic year starting September 2026.

In this role, you will work 1:1 or with small groups of secondary-aged pupils (Years 7-11) who have faced complex trauma or exhibit challenging behaviour. Your primary goal will be to provide pastoral stability, manage emotional dysregulation, and break down social and emotional barriers to learning.

Why Your Care Experience Is a Premium Asset

Mainstream schools and specialist academies are struggling with behaviour retention, and they need individuals with a background in trauma-informed care. Your transferable skills from residential care mean you already excel where standard applicants might struggle:

• De-escalation Expertise: You know how to read the warning signs of emotional distress and de-escalate crisis behaviour calmly and professionally.

• Trauma-Informed Approach: You naturally separate a young person's background and emotional wounds from their outward behaviour.

• Professional Boundaries: You understand the vital importance of firm, consistent boundaries that make vulnerable children feel secure.

• Multi-Agency Knowledge: You are already fluent in daily tracking, logging incident reports, and working alongside social services, therapists, and internal safeguarding leads.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide high-impact, nurture-focused 1:1 mentoring to secondary students displaying complex social, emotional, or behavioural difficulties.

• Work closely with the school's inclusion or pastoral team to support the implementation of Individual Education Programs (IEPs) or behaviour plans.

• Monitor and document student behavioural trends, offering valuable context for pastoral progress meetings and look-after-children (LAC) reviews.

What We Are Looking For

• Experience: Minimum 6-12 months of experience working within a Children's Residential Home, short-break respite facility, youth justice setting, or specialised foster care.

• Qualifications: Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or Children and Young People's Workforce) is highly advantageous, but transferable hands-on experience is prioritised. Prior training in Team Teach, MAPA, or PRICE is a major plus.

• Mindset: High levels of emotional intelligence, resilience, thick skin, and a genuine passion for adolescent mentoring.

What We Offer

• Fair Pay Parity: We believe in absolute transparency. You are paid directly to the local NJC scale from Day 1, ensuring your professional sector experience is correctly valued.

• The Ultimate Work-Life Balance: No more sleep-ins, weekend shifts, or holiday rotas. You will work standard school hours (Mon-Fri, approx. 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM), term-time only.

• True Long-Term Stability: A secure, guaranteed contract running for the entire 2026/2027 academic year.

How to Apply

Please click 'Apply Now' to upload your updated CV highlighting your residential care experience, or contact our Lancashire SEN & Inclusion Recruitment Team directly for an informal discussion.