Job Description:

Are you currently working in Children's Residential Care or Social Care and looking for a better work-life balance?

Transition from unsociable shift patterns, sleep-ins, and long weekends into a Monday to Friday, term-time-only education role, while continuing to make a vital impact on vulnerable young people.

An established Alternative Provision (AP) in Blackpool is recruiting a dedicated 1:1 Behaviour Support Mentor / Teaching Assistant to work on a direct 1:1 basis with a secondary-aged male pupil presenting with complex Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, trauma-related behaviours, and attachment difficulties.

Mainstream education has not worked for this young man. We need someone with a calm, therapeutic presence who understands how trauma manifests in behaviour, knows how to hold firm boundaries without escalating conflict, and can act as a consistent positive role model.

Why Your Residential / Social Care Background Fits Perfectly:

Classroom teaching experience is not required. We specifically welcome applications from:

• Children's Residential Support Workers (RSWs): You already understand high-level safeguarding, trauma-informed care, and remaining composed during crisis or emotional dysregulation.

• Family Support & Social Care Workers: Experienced in multi-agency communication, emotional containment, and understanding complex home dynamics.

• Therapeutic Care / SEN Care Assistants: Confident in setting clear, daily routines, building trust from the ground up, and not taking challenging behaviour personally.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide dedicated 1:1 emotional regulation, behaviour mentoring, and pastoral support for a male secondary-aged learner.

• Act as a stable, dependable anchor throughout his school day, encouraging engagement with vocational, practical, and functional skills learning.

• Utilise proven de-escalation strategies and therapeutic crisis intervention to manage heightened situations safely.

• Build a rapport based on mutual respect, consistency, and clear boundaries.

• Collaborate closely with the provision's SENDCo, pastoral team, and external social care agencies.

What We Are Looking For:

• Demonstrable experience working with children or young people with complex SEMH needs, attachment disorders, or challenging behaviours (Residential Care, Foster Care, or Social Work settings preferred).

• A calm, resilient, and non-reactive mindset-approaching each morning as a clean slate.

• Natural de-escalation instincts and an understanding of trauma-informed practice.

• Team Teach, MAPA/PBSA, or physical intervention certification is advantageous (free accredited refresher training provided).

• Enhanced Child Workforce DBS on the Update Service (or willingness to apply for one).

Benefits of the Role:

• Sociable Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30am - 3:30pm. Enjoy your evenings, weekends, and all 13 weeks of school holidays.

• Low Staff-to-Pupil Ratios: Work within a dedicated, specialist AP environment backed by a multi-disciplinary support team.

• Free CPD Training: Ongoing access to accredited courses including Team Teach, SEMH de-escalation, and advanced safeguarding.

• Career Progression: Real opportunities to transition onto a permanent school contract.

How to Apply:

If you are ready to bring your residential childcare or social care expertise into a supportive specialist school, please submit your up-to-date CV or get in touch for an informal discussion.

(All applicants are subject to stringent vetting and safeguarding compliance checks, including an Enhanced DBS disclosure and satisfactory professional references.)

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