Children & Young People Support Worker

Children & Young People Support Worker - ASAP Start Your Experience With Young People Could Be Exactly What a School Needs

Supporting a child isn't always about having the perfect answer.

Sometimes it's about being the consistent adult who stays calm when they're overwhelmed, recognises when something isn't right and helps them find a way forward.

Thrive Education Group is looking for experienced Children & Young People Support Workers to join schools and specialist education settings across Knowsley, with opportunities available to start ASAP.

If you've worked with children or teenagers in residential care, youth services, SEND, community support, mentoring, children's services or similar environments, this could be an opportunity to take those skills into education.

You don't need to have spent your career in a classroom.

Schools need people who understand young people.

What Will You Be Supporting?

The children and young people you work with may need additional support for a variety of reasons.

Some may have SEND or communication needs. Others may experience anxiety, difficulties regulating their emotions or challenges engaging positively with education.

You Could Support Pupils With Needs Including

Autism (ASC)

• ADHD
• SEMH
• Communication Needs
• Learning Difficulties
• Emotional Regulation Needs
• Social and Behavioural Needs

Your role will be to understand the individual pupil rather than expecting every young person to respond in the same way.

What Could Your Day Look Like?

You'll work alongside teachers, SEND professionals and pastoral teams, providing practical support throughout the school day.

Depending On The Pupil And Setting, You Could Be

• Providing consistent one-to-one support.
• Helping pupils settle into their school day.
• Supporting children during classroom learning.
• Working with pupils individually or in small groups.
• Helping a young person re-engage after becoming overwhelmed.
• Supporting emotional regulation and positive behaviour.
• Encouraging communication and social interaction.
• Helping pupils manage transitions and changes in routine.
• Reinforcing clear, consistent boundaries.
• Supporting pupils with SEND and additional needs.
• Encouraging independence rather than creating reliance on adult support.
• Building confidence and resilience.
• Following individual behaviour and support strategies.
• Supporting pupils during breaktimes and less structured periods.
• Sharing relevant observations with teachers and other professionals.
• Contributing to a safe and supportive school environment.

Bring the Skills You've Already Developed

If you've worked with children and young people outside education, you've probably developed skills that schools value enormously.

You may already know how to build trust without becoming overfamiliar.

You may recognise the early signs that a young person is becoming overwhelmed.

You may know when to talk, when to give someone space and when additional support is needed.

You may also understand that what appears to be challenging behaviour can sometimes be a child communicating frustration, anxiety, sensory overload or an unmet need.

These aren't skills you have to leave behind when you move into education.

They're skills you can build on.

Who Could This Role Suit?

Your Experience Could Come From

Children's Residential Care

• Youth Work
• SEND Support
• Children's Services
• Family Support
• Mentoring
• Community Projects
• Behaviour Support
• Alternative Provision
• Care

You May Currently Be Working As a

Children's Support Worker

• Young People's Support Worker
• Residential Support Worker
• Youth Worker
• SEND Support Worker
• Behaviour Support Worker
• Mentor
• Care Worker

We're Particularly Interested In People Who

• Have experience supporting children or young people.
• Build positive relationships while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Are calm, patient and consistent.
• Can respond appropriately when behaviour becomes challenging.
• Understand the importance of safeguarding.
• Are comfortable following agreed support strategies.
• Can adapt their approach for different young people.
• Communicate effectively with other professionals.
• Are reliable and comfortable working as part of a team.
• Want to develop their experience within education.

An Enhanced DBS on the Update Service, or willingness to obtain one, will be required.

Build a Career Around Supporting Young People

Moving into a school environment can also give you the opportunity to broaden your professional experience.

You’ll Gain Exposure To Areas Including

SEND

• SEMH
• Autism
• Behaviour Support
• Emotional Regulation
• Pastoral Support
• Safeguarding
• Communication
• Personalised Learning

That experience could support future progression into roles such as:

SEND Support

• Behaviour Mentoring
• Pastoral Support
• Higher Level Teaching Assistant
• Specialist Education
• Youth and Family Support
• Wider Children's Services

Why Join Thrive Education Group? At Thrive Education Group, we recognise that valuable education professionals don't always begin their careers in schools.

Experience from care, youth work and children's support can bring a different perspective into the classroom - particularly when working with pupils who need additional understanding and consistency.

You’ll Benefit From

• £95-£105 per day.
• ASAP start.
• Full-time, term-time work.
• Long-term and potential permanent opportunities.
• Experience within schools and specialist settings.
• Opportunities to develop SEND and SEMH knowledge.
• Training and professional development.
• Support from a dedicated education consultant.

Help Make Education Feel Achievable

For some young people, success might begin with completing a lesson.

For another, it could be managing a difficult transition without becoming overwhelmed.

For someone else, it might simply be trusting an adult enough to ask for help.

Those steps matter.