Mental Health & Wellbeing Support - Tower Hamlets

Tower Hamlets | Full-Time | September Start | Interviews from Week Commencing 10th August

Are you passionate about supporting young people's mental health and emotional wellbeing?

We're working with an exceptional specialist secondary school in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to recruit a compassionate and dedicated Mental Health & Wellbeing Teaching Assistant to join their team from September.

This is a unique opportunity for someone with a background in mental health, counselling, psychology, youth work, wellbeing or therapeutic support who wants to make a genuine difference to the lives of young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

The school is an all-boys specialist secondary setting where relationships, trust and trauma-informed practice are at the heart of everything they do. Every member of staff plays an important role in helping students feel emotionally safe, build resilience and develop the confidence to re-engage with education.

Conveniently located in Tower Hamlets, the school has excellent transport links via the District Line, DLR and Elizabeth Line, making it easily accessible from across London.

The Role

This is much more than a traditional Teaching Assistant position.

Working closely with the school's Mental Health Lead, Welfare Team and teaching staff, you'll lead targeted emotional wellbeing interventions that help students understand, regulate and manage their emotions.

You'll become a trusted, consistent adult for young people who may have experienced trauma, anxiety, attachment difficulties or significant mental health challenges. Through therapeutic conversations, structured interventions and trauma-informed practice, you'll help students develop coping strategies, emotional resilience and the confidence to succeed both inside and outside the classroom.

If you're passionate about mental health, therapeutic approaches and early intervention, this is an incredibly rewarding opportunity to make a lasting impact.

Your Responsibilities

• Deliver 1:1 and small-group emotional wellbeing interventions focusing on emotional regulation, resilience and self-esteem.

• Support programmes such as ELSA-informed interventions, Zones of Regulation, mindfulness, anxiety management and emotional literacy.
• Help students understand the connection between thoughts, emotions and behaviours through age-appropriate psychoeducation.
• Provide calm, therapeutic support during periods of emotional dysregulation using grounding techniques, sensory strategies and co-regulation approaches.
• Support students returning to learning following periods of school refusal, emotional crisis or heightened anxiety.
• Build trusted, consistent relationships with young people experiencing attachment difficulties, trauma or low emotional wellbeing.
• Coach students in developing healthy friendships, managing conflict and improving social-emotional skills.
• Monitor progress against EHCP outcomes, wellbeing plans and intervention targets.
• Work collaboratively with the school's Mental Health Lead, Welfare Team, pastoral staff and external professionals to provide joined-up support.
• Maintain professional communication with parents and carers to encourage consistent emotional wellbeing strategies between home and school.
• Record safeguarding concerns, emotional check-ins and wellbeing observations accurately in line with school procedures.

We're Looking For Someone Who

• Holds a Level 2 or Level 3 Teaching Assistant qualification or a qualification in Counselling, Youth Work, Child Development, Psychology or a related field.
• Has substantial experience supporting children or young people with SEMH, trauma, anxiety or complex mental health needs.
• Has experience delivering therapeutic, emotional wellbeing or counselling-style interventions on a 1:1 or small-group basis.
• Has worked within an SEMH school, Alternative Provision, PRU, CAMHS, youth service or similar therapeutic setting.
• Understands attachment theory, trauma-informed practice and the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
• Has knowledge of emotional regulation strategies, grounding techniques and anxiety management approaches.
• Is trained as an ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) or has equivalent experience (desirable).
• Has knowledge of TISUK, restorative practice or other trauma-informed approaches (desirable).
• Is calm, compassionate and emotionally resilient when supporting young people through difficult moments.
• Can maintain clear professional boundaries while building trusting, meaningful relationships.

What Makes This Opportunity Special?

This role offers the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the emotional wellbeing of young people every single day.

You'll have the time and support to deliver meaningful interventions, helping students understand themselves, process difficult emotions and develop healthy coping strategies that will benefit them long after they leave school.

Rather than simply responding to behaviour, you'll focus on understanding what lies beneath it—helping students feel safe, heard and empowered to thrive.

You'll be joining a highly supportive, trauma-informed team that values compassion, collaboration and therapeutic practice, where your ideas and expertise will be encouraged and your impact will be seen every day.

Whether your background is in psychology, counselling, youth work, mental health support, therapy, social care, wellbeing or education, this is an outstanding opportunity to build a rewarding career supporting young people with complex SEMH needs.

Apply Now

If you're passionate about mental health, trauma-informed practice and helping young people overcome barriers to learning, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today to become a Mental Health & Wellbeing Teaching Assistant and play a vital role in helping young people build resilience, confidence and hope for the future.