SEMH Teaching Assistant – Sunderland Full-time, Long-term Start: ASAP Pay: £89 to £110 per day (PAYE) For the right fit, a permanent opportunity is available. If you’ve got a calm head, a warm heart, and a knack for bringing the best out of young people who find school tough, this role might be your thing. We’re supporting a small, nurturing SEMH setting in Sunderland that offers structure, therapy-led approaches, and personalised learning. Pupils have social, emotional, and mental health needs and often flourish when routines are predictable and relationships feel safe. They’re looking for a steady, encouraging SEMH TA who understands behaviour as communication, not confrontation. What your day will look like Building genuine, trusting relationships with pupils Supporting learning through clear routines and consistent expectations Using restorative approaches rather than sanctions Working alongside therapists, mentors, and teachers Being the calm in the storm when emotions run high What they love in staff A grounded, patient personality Someone who can laugh, reset, and try again A team player who can model emotional regulation Resilience and a non-judgemental approach Are you Thrive trained by any chance? If not, we can get you onto our free Thrive course, and it makes a huge difference in SEMH schools. All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details. All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date. Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants. We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service. Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.