Teaching Assistant - Chorley (Autism Support)

Our client school in Chorley have approached us to assist in the recruitment of permanent staff members to support their children with Autism.

The school is a specialist school, catering for pupils with Autism, Aspergers, BESD, Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties and Sensory Impairments.

Your role will be to support a group of 6 pupils, aged 8-13, with Pathological Demand Avoidance, a condition which is part of the autism spectrum, characterised by an overwhelming need to avoid or resist demands. The pupils may express socially manipulative or outrageous behaviour to avoid demands or have sudden changes in mood which could lead to aggressive behaviours. The pupils may also have difficulties with social communication, social interaction and express restricted and repetitive patterns of behaviours, activities or interests. Some students may also experience high anxiety levels.

The role will involve supporting the students in the classroom and also in various external activities such as trampolining, walking, swimming etc. You will be a calm person, able to exert your authority (without the pupil realising), think on your feet and you must be thick-skinned. You must also have a flexible approach to the working day, in that your plans could change immediately, based on the mood / behaviours of the pupils.

I am ideally looking for someone with experience in supporting students with Pathological Demand avoidance, Autism or SEMH.

There are a small number of roles available, starting immediately. It is likely the roles will be on a temp-perm basis, initially through the agency, before becoming a permanent member of staff.

The working hours will be 8:30am - 4:15pm, full-time, with an earlier finish on certain days. Lunch is also provided.

This is a very rewarding role and I urge you to apply if you are passionate about supporting young people with SEN.

If interested, please send a copy of your CV ASAP or call me on 01772 842155.