Aspiring Psychologist - Learning Support Assistant West Drayton in London

Location: West Drayton | Start Date: September 2026 | Pay: £115.90 per day | Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 3:30 pm | Contract: Full-time, Term Time Only

About the Role

This position is not a standard teaching assistant role. You will join a small, nurturing team dedicated to helping students re-engage with education by first addressing their sensory, emotional, and regulation needs. Students often experience high levels of anxiety, demand avoidance, and communication barriers, leading to a loss of trust in adults and the education system.

The Therapeutic & Non-Verbal Element

• Reading the Room: Identify micro-expressions, body language, and physiological signs of distress before they erupt into crisis.
• Co-Regulation: Model calm, consistent, grounded body language to help students regulate their nervous systems.
• Therapeutic Presence: Use silence and active listening as tools to provide a non-judgmental space where students feel heard without pressure for immediate verbal response.
• Adapting Communication: Tailor tone, pitch, and proximity to meet each individual's sensory and emotional needs, especially for those who process verbal information differently.

Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration Elements

• Sensory Profiling: Support OTs in identifying sensory triggers and preferences, helping create individualized sensory diets.
• Movement & Regulation: Facilitate sensory breaks using movement, heavy work, and proprioceptive input to regulate nervous systems.
• Environmental Adaptation: Learn how to adapt lighting, noise, seating, and visual supports to reduce sensory overload.
• Fine & Gross Motor Support: Assist students with motor coordination difficulties, embedding OT-recommended exercises into daily routines.
• Daily Living Skills: Support students in developing life skills such as handwriting, using cutlery, dressing, and organisational skills.

Art Therapy & Creative Expression Elements

• Non-Verbal Expression: Facilitate art-based activities that help students express emotions they cannot yet verbalise.
• Emotional Regulation through Creativity: Use creative activities as calming, grounding mechanisms.
• Building Trust & Rapport: Build relationships with withdrawn or resistant students through shared creative activities.
• Observing Therapeutic Process: Work alongside qualified Art Therapists and observe how creative output reflects internal states.
• Alternative Communication: Support use of art as a safe, empowering communication mode.

How This Role Supports Your Therapy Career Path

• Applying Therapeutic Models: Gain hands-on experience with Trauma-Informed Practice, Person-Centred Approaches, and neuro-affirmative practice.
• Behavioural Analysis: Observe how autism, anxiety, and sensory differences manifest in daily behaviours and understand function of actions.
• Intervention Planning: Collaborate with on-site therapists to implement and monitor regulation and communication strategies.

Developing Your Advocacy Skills

• Multidisciplinary Advocacy: Work with external professionals to ensure the student’s voice is heard in decision-making.
• Systemic Support: Advocate for student needs within the school system to adapt curriculum and environment.
• Empowerment: Coach students to identify and voice their own needs, building self-advocacy skills.

Why This Role is Ideal for Your Career

• Educational or Clinical Psychologists
• Occupational Therapists
• Art Therapists & Creative Arts Practitioners
• Mental Health Practitioners & Psychotherapists
• Speech & Language Therapists
• Youth Justice & Probation Officers
• Social Workers & Safeguarding Leads

What You'll Be Doing

• Deliver 1:1 and small group support focused on emotional regulation, sensory needs, and academic re-engagement.
• Support OT-led sensory programmes and facilitate sensory breaks.
• Facilitate creative and art-based activities to support emotional expression.
• Build consistent, positive relationships to counteract negative school experiences.
• Support students with daily transitions to reduce avoidance and anxiety.
• Implement sensory and emotional regulation plans.
• Observe and document behavioural and sensory patterns to inform therapeutic practice.
• Work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team including OTs, Art Therapists, and SLTs.

What We're Looking For

• Psychology graduates or related fields eager to move into therapeutic/clinical roles.
• Graduates in Occupational Therapy, Art Therapy, or Creative Arts seeking hands-on experience.
• Experienced Care, Youth Work, or Support Workers specialising in autism and additional needs.
• Individuals genuinely interested in how autism, anxiety, sensory differences, and trauma impact learning and behaviour.

No prior school experience is required. We value empathy, patience, and commitment above all else. Full training and ongoing professional development are provided. Milk Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will undergo compliance checks in line with DfE, Keeping Children Safe in Education, and APSCo guidelines.