SEMH Teaching Assistant – Sunderland Area Title: SEMH Teaching Assistant Location: Tyne & Wear (Sunderland / South Shields area) Contract: Term-time, fixed-term or permanent Hours: Full-time or part-time considered About the Role We are seeking an enthusiastic, resilient SEMH Teaching Assistant to join a specialist provision supporting learners with Social, Emotional & Mental Health needs. You will be working with young people who have Education, Health & Care Plans and need a stable, caring environment to engage with learning and overcome barriers. Key Responsibilities Support students both in class and in small groups with academic tasks, social & emotional learning, and behaviour regulation Assist with implementing SEMH-specific strategies: emotional / restorative support, mentoring, scaffolded emotional regulation Help create a safe, structured environment, using positive behaviour strategies and de-escalation techniques Work closely with teachers, SENCO and pastoral staff to monitor progress, adapt plans and provide feedback Encourage resilience, self-esteem and confidence in pupils Person Specification Previous experience in an SEMH or related setting highly desirable Strong communication skills; ability to build rapport with young people who may be distressed or disengaged Calm, consistent, compassionate and able to manage challenging behaviour with patience Ability to follow and implement behaviour support plans and restorative practices Willingness to undertake any relevant training (safeguarding, behaviour management, mental health awareness etc.) What We Offer A supportive team committed to pupil wellbeing and growth Professional development in SEMH approaches and behaviour support Opportunity to make a real difference in students’ lives daily Competitive pay, regular hours and paid via PAYE 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.