Pastoral Support Worker - SEMH Secondary Education

Pastoral Support Worker - SEMH Secondary Education

Location: Blackpool, Lancashire

Contract Type: Long-Term Agency Placement (Permanent potential)

Salary: 100 - 125 per day

Hours: 8:30 am - 3:30 pm (Monday - Friday, Term-Time)

Are you ready to be the consistent adult a child needs?

We are seeking a dedicated and highly resilient Pastoral Support Worker to join a specialist SEMH School in Blackpool. This isn't a standard secondary school role; you will be working with young people who have faced significant barriers to education, including trauma, attachment disorders, and complex mental health needs.

In this role, you are a mentor, a mediator, and a champion for students who often feel misunderstood by the traditional education system.

Key Responsibilities

• Trauma-Informed Mentoring: Provide intensive 1:1 support for students with complex SEMH needs, focusing on emotional regulation and self-worth.

• De-escalation & Crisis Management: Use therapeutic or approved physical intervention techniques to safely manage high-level behavioural outbursts and "meltdowns."

• Restorative Practice: Facilitate restorative conversations to help students understand the impact of their actions and reintegrate into the classroom after an incident.

• Nurture-Based Support: Create a "safe base" environment where students feel secure enough to engage with learning.

• Multidisciplinary Collaboration: Work closely with SENCOs, Educational Psychologists, and Social Workers to implement Individual Education and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The Ideal Candidate

• SEMH Expertise: Proven experience working with SEMH, ADHD, Autism (ASC), or ODD is essential. Backgrounds in Youth Justice, Residential Care, or PRUs are highly valued.

• Resilience & Empathy: You must possess a "thick skin" and the ability to remain calm and neutral when faced with challenging verbal or physical behaviour.

• Training: Training in de-escalation (e.g., Team Teach, MAPA, or Price) is a significant advantage, though a willingness to learn is key.

• Relationship Driven: An understanding that "behaviour is communication" and a commitment to building long-term trust with hard-to-reach teenagers.

• Safeguarding: A rock-solid understanding of safeguarding procedures is vital. An Enhanced DBS check is required.

Why Choose This Role?

• Specialist Environment: Work within a smaller-than-average setting where you can truly get to know every student.

• Stable Schedule: Regular term-time hours in a sector that often requires shift work.

• Professional Growth: Gain invaluable experience in therapeutic education, mental health advocacy, and specialised SEN support.

How to Apply

If you have the heart and the grit to support Blackpool's most vulnerable learners, we want to hear from you.

Please send your CV to (url removed) quoting "SEMH Pastoral Blackpool" or click apply.