Experienced SEND Teaching Assistant – SEMH & Autism
Location: Stratford, East London
Start Date: Immediate
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 4:30pm
Contract: Full-time
Are you an experienced SEND Teaching Assistant who understands that behaviour is communication?
Parker Smith Inclusion is working with a specialist setting in Stratford that is looking for an experienced SEND Teaching Assistant to join their team immediately.
This role would suit someone who has a genuine understanding of young people with combined SEMH and Autism needs and knows that supporting these students requires patience, consistency, emotional resilience and, most importantly, strong relationships.
This isn't a role for someone who takes behaviour personally.
You will need to be able to remain calm when a young person is dysregulated, understand what may be behind the behaviour and respond in a way that helps them feel safe and supported.
About the Role
You will work closely with pupils who may experience difficulties with emotional regulation, communication, social interaction and engagement with learning.
Your role will be about much more than simply supporting students academically. You'll help pupils to understand themselves, regulate their emotions, develop positive relationships and access their education.
You may be supporting students who display challenging behaviour, become overwhelmed or struggle to communicate how they are feeling.
The successful candidate will understand that these behaviours are often a form of communication and will be able to respond with curiosity rather than judgement.
Your Responsibilities
- Provide 1:1 and small-group support to students with Autism and SEMH needs.
- Support pupils to access learning and remain engaged in the classroom.
- Develop positive and trusting relationships with students.
- Recognise early signs of dysregulation and respond proactively.
- Support students with emotional regulation and appropriate coping strategies.
- Use calm, consistent and positive approaches to behaviour.
- Help students understand and communicate their emotions.
- Support pupils during periods of heightened anxiety or dysregulation.
- Work alongside teachers and the wider pastoral/SEND team.
- Encourage independence and positive decision-making.
- Follow individual behaviour and support plans consistently.
- Contribute to creating a calm, predictable and safe environment.
The Person We're Looking For
We're looking for someone who is experienced, resilient and emotionally intelligent.
You will need to be someone who can:
- Understand the relationship between Autism, SEMH and behaviour.
- Recognise that behaviour is communication.
- Remain calm when faced with challenging or unpredictable behaviour.
- Not take behaviour personally.
- Build genuine relationships while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
- Be patient and consistent, even when progress takes time.
- Adapt your approach depending on the individual young person.
- Understand that what works for one student may not work for another.
- Think proactively rather than simply reacting to behaviour.
- Communicate effectively with teachers and other professionals.
- Be reflective and willing to learn.
- Have a genuine passion for supporting young people with additional needs.
Experience
Previous experience supporting students with Autism and SEMH, particularly where these needs overlap, is essential.
Experience within a specialist school, SEMH provision, PRU, alternative provision, autism setting or mainstream school with significant SEND provision would be highly beneficial.
We're particularly interested in candidates who have experience with:
- Emotional regulation
- De-escalation
- Positive behaviour support
- Autism
- SEMH
- Trauma-informed practice
- Low-arousal approaches
- Social and emotional interventions
- Supporting students with challenging behaviour
Why This Role?
This is an opportunity to work in a setting where your ability to build relationships and understand the young person behind the behaviour will be genuinely valued.
You won't be expected to have a magic solution for every situation. You will, however, need to be the person who can stay calm, consistent and compassionate when things become difficult.
If you believe that every behaviour has a reason, you're able to leave challenging moments at the school gate rather than taking them home with you, and you genuinely want to make a difference to young people with complex needs, we'd love to hear from you.
Immediate start available – apply today to speak with Parker Smith Inclusion.