Teaching Assistant – Mental Health, Trauma, and CAMHS Support, Cheshire West and Chester

Job Description

• Have you completed ACEs training?
• Do you have experience supporting children and young people who have been affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)?

What are ACEs?
Adverse Childhood Experiences are traumatic or highly stressful events occurring during childhood that can have lasting effects on an individual’s mental health and development.

Job Description

We are currently seeking a dedicated and compassionate Learning Support Assistant (LSA) to work full-time on a long-term basis, with the potential for a permanent contract for the right candidate.

This role involves supporting pupils with a range of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including autism, ADHD, and behaviours that may arise from early trauma. Many of the pupils may also have mental health needs and are supported through CAMHS.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have experience working with children affected by ACEs, trauma, or mental health challenges
• Be passionate about inclusive education and supporting children with complex needs
• Be resilient, nurturing, and committed to making a difference

The school offers:

• A warm, welcoming, and supportive team environment
• Opportunities for professional development, including access to CPD
• Beautiful, scenic grounds that create a calming and therapeutic setting for staff and students alike
• A strong sense of community where supply staff are made to feel part of the team

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced LSA looking to grow in a nurturing and inclusive educational setting.

Job Specification

Teaching, Learning or Classroom Assistants are now vital resources for teachers and are heavily relied upon in schools.

We specialise in recruiting Teaching Assistants (TA) who are qualified in the following;

• NVQ Level 2 Teaching Assistant
• NVQ Level 3 Teaching Assistant
• Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA)
• CACHE Level 3 in Childcare & Education
• BTEC National Certificate in Childhood Studies (Nursery Nursing).

We’ll also consider experienced Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) who have previously held a job in a primary school or assisted a pupil in the role in a secondary school but do not hold any of the above qualifications.

Jobs in additional learning needs (ALN)

A large number of our jobs are in ALN and we fill many vacancies in schools with candidates who have particular experience in working with children classified as having:

• Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Dyslexia
• Dyspraxia
• Multi-Sensory Impairment (MSI)
• Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD)
• Profound and Moderate Learning Difficulties (PMLD)
• Emotional Behavioural Difficulties (EBD)
• Severe Learning Difficulties
• Physical Disabilities (PD).

As a teaching assistant you’ll be expected to:

• Assist in the educational and social development of pupils under the direction and guidance of the head teacher, ALNCO and class teachers
• Assist in the implementation of Individual Education Programmes (IEP) for students and help monitor their progress
• Provide support for individual students inside and outside the classroom to enable them to fully participate in activities
• Assist class teachers with maintaining student records
• Support students with emotional or behavioural problems and help develop their social skills.

New Directions Education Ltd is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.