Individuals with Mental Health Support Experience Wanted! Support SEN Schools Across Bristol, Bath & Gloucestershire

Do you have experience supporting adults or young people with mental health needs, emotional difficulties, or challenging behaviour?
Teaching Personnel is seeking compassionate, resilient individuals to support Special Educational Needs (SEN) schools across:

Bristol
Bath
Gloucestershire

These roles are ideal for people coming from mental health support work, crisis roles, youth work, social care, residential care, wellbeing support, or those looking to move into SEN education.

We are currently recruiting for:
• Teaching Assistants (TA)
• Higher Level Teaching Assistants (HLTA)

Start Date: As soon as vetting is completed
Contract: Flexible roles – long‑term, short‑term, and permanent opportunities available

Why Mental Health Experienced Candidates Are Perfect for These Roles

Your background working with individuals in emotional distress or with additional mental health needs will help you:

• Support children with high levels of anxiety, trauma, or emotional dysregulation
• Build strong, trusting relationships using empathy and de‑escalation skills
• Understand how to implement boundaries and consistent routines
• Apply trauma‑informed and person‑centred approaches in the classroom
• Work closely with therapists, pastoral teams, SEN staff and behaviour specialists
• Support pupils through challenging moments calmly and confidently

These positions offer highly transferable experience valued within education, social care, psychology services, and mental health roles.

About the Schools & Students

You’ll be working in nurturing specialist SEN settings with students aged 5–19 who may have:

• Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC)
• Social, Emotional & Mental Health Needs (SEMH)
• Moderate / Severe Learning Difficulties (MLD / SLD)
• Speech, Language & Communication Needs (SLCN)
• ADHD or associated behavioural needs
• Sensory processing differences

Schools emphasise holistic development, helping pupils build emotional resilience, social confidence and academic progress.

⭐ What We Offer

• Competitive weekly pay
• Full-time and part-time roles to suit your schedule
• Specialist SEN and mental-health‑related CPD
• Opportunities to work alongside therapists, psychologists and behaviour teams
• A chance to make a meaningful difference to vulnerable young people
• Ongoing support from your dedicated Teaching Personnel consultant

About You

We would love to hear from you if you are:

• Experienced in mental health, wellbeing support or crisis intervention
• Patient, resilient, and calm under pressure
• Confident supporting individuals with emotional or behavioural needs
• Keen to build experience within SEN or education settings
• Flexible and able to adapt to different needs and routines
• Open to learning and developing skills in SEN and behaviour support

(SEN or school experience is helpful but not essential - full training is provided)

Ready to Start Your SEN Journey?

Apply today and take the first step into a rewarding role where your experience in mental health support can change young people’s lives across Bristol, Bath, and Gloucestershire.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for 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.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with 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 all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
For details of our privacy policy, please visit the Teaching Personnel website.