SEMH Teaching Assistant | Westminster | Full-Time

Relationships first. Emotional safety always.

Some SEND roles focus on routines, targets, and outcomes.
This one starts somewhere more fundamental: how a young person feels when they walk through the door.

This SEMH Teaching Assistant role is based in Westminster and supports children and young people whose education has been shaped by trauma, anxiety, disrupted attachment, and emotional dysregulation. Many pupils have experienced repeated setbacks in mainstream education and need adults who can offer calm, consistency, and belief, even on difficult days.

This is not a role for someone looking for an easy entry point into education.
It is a role for someone who understands that behaviour is communication and that progress often starts with trust.

The setting

You will be working in a specialist SEND environment supporting pupils with:

• Social, Emotional, and Mental Health needs (SEMH)

• Trauma and attachment-related behaviours

• Anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and low self-esteem

• ADHD and associated impulsivity

• Communication and sensory regulation needs

Classes are small. Support is structured. Relationships are prioritised.
Staff work collaboratively using trauma-informed and emotionally intelligent approaches, with a clear focus on regulation before learning.

Your day-to-day role

This role requires presence, patience, and emotional awareness.

You will be:

• Supporting pupils with SEMH and trauma-related needs

• Helping young people regulate emotions safely and consistently

• Working one-to-one or within small specialist classrooms

• Supporting learning while prioritising emotional wellbeing

• Using reflective practice to understand triggers and patterns

• Maintaining clear, calm boundaries rooted in trust

• Working closely with teachers, pastoral staff, and therapists

• Being part of a supportive, multi-disciplinary SEND team

Progress is rarely linear. Some days are challenging.
The moments where a young person begins to trust, engage, or regulate make the work deeply meaningful.

Who this role is right for

This role will suit someone who:

• Has genuine SEND or SEMH experience, personal or professional

• Is emotionally resilient and able to stay calm under pressure

• Understands trauma-informed practice and attachment

• Can manage challenging behaviour without taking it personally

• Is reflective, grounded, and open to learning

• Is looking for long-term, purposeful SEND work

If you are looking for a stepping stone, a filler role, or something easy, this will not be the right fit.
If you want to work somewhere relationships change outcomes, this could be exactly right.

What you will need

• Experience supporting children or young people with SEMH or behavioural needs

• Confidence managing dysregulation in a calm, consistent way

• Strong boundaries and emotional intelligence

• Commitment to full-time work, Monday to Friday

• A genuine interest in SEND and inclusive education

Pay, contract, and values

• Competitive daily rate

• Paid PAYE only

• No umbrella companies or hidden deductions

• Long-term role with potential to become permanent

• Transparent, ethical, people-first SEND recruitment

Parker Smith Inclusion is a specialist SEND recruitment consultancy. We work exclusively with education and care settings that prioritise safeguarding, wellbeing, and long-term outcomes for young people.

Location

This role is based in Westminster, with accessible transport links from surrounding areas in Central and West London.

If you are ready to support young people who need consistency, safety, and emotionally intelligent adults around them, I would welcome a conversation.

Apply now or contact Luke Falzon at Parker Smith Inclusion to find out more.

Parker Smith Inclusion is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be subject to appropriate compliance and vetting procedures.