SEND Assistant Therapeutic Mentor in Ipswich

Sendsory is looking for a warm, compassionate and motivated SEND Assistant Therapeutic Mentor to join our specialist SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health) provision, and work alongside our Therapeutic Teacher to support children’s emotional wellbeing, development and independence.

This is a hands-on, child-centred role for someone who is passionate about supporting children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) and understands the importance of building positive, trusting relationships.

As a SEND Assistant Therapeutic Mentor, you will play an important role in delivering our therapeutic curriculum, supporting children to achieve their individual EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) outcomes and developing the life skills, emotional regulation, social communication and independence they need to prepare for everyday life and future learning.

You will work closely with the Therapeutic Teacher, Head of Wellbeing and Development, Occupational Therapist and wider team to provide a consistent, trauma-informed and attachment-aware approach to supporting every child.

No two days will be the same. You could be delivering a structured wellbeing activity, supporting a child during community-based learning, helping a pupil regulate their emotions, developing social communication skills through play, or simply being the consistent trusted adult a child needs that day.

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Deliver engaging, child-centred 1-2-1 and small-group sessions under the direction of the Therapeutic Teacher, including elements of the therapeutic curriculum.
• Implement individual EHCP outcomes within sessions under the direction of the Therapeutic Teacher.
• Support pupils to achieve outcomes linked to AQA (Assessment and Qualifications Alliance) Unit Award Scheme Certificates.
• Deliver structured wellbeing activities, including Talk and Draw and Lego-based therapy, following appropriate training and supervision.
• Support community-based learning, accompanying pupils into the community to develop confidence, independence, life skills and social communication in real-world settings.
• Promote life skills, emotional regulation, social communication and independence through daily routines, structured activities and therapeutic interactions.
• Encourage pupils to develop confidence, self-help skills, problem-solving abilities and positive peer relationships.
• Provide personal care where required, always maintaining the child’s dignity, privacy and respect.
• Support children during breakfast and lunch, encouraging independence, communication and positive social interaction.
• Build consistent and positive mentoring relationships with pupils, modelling appropriate behaviour, emotional regulation and clear boundaries.
• Actively support the de-escalation of challenging behaviour using trauma-informed and restorative approaches, in line with Behaviour Safe in Education training.
• Recognise emotional triggers and respond with consistent, supportive strategies that promote emotional safety, predictability and trust.
• Create and maintain safe, welcoming and calming therapeutic spaces, including setting up and tidying resources before and after sessions.
• Work collaboratively with the Therapeutic Teacher, Head of Wellbeing and Development, Occupational Therapist and wider team to ensure a consistent therapeutic approach.
• Record and report behaviour incidents, wellbeing concerns and safeguarding concerns in line with organisational procedures.
• Attend safeguarding and behaviour briefings and contribute positively to team debriefs and solution-focused planning.
• Prepare resources and learning materials, including printing, creating visuals, laminating, adapting activities and organising the learning environment.
• Undertake other reasonable duties as directed by the Therapeutic Teacher to support the effective running of the provision.

About you

We are looking for someone who is:

• Experienced in working within SEND, alternative provision, education, care, therapeutic support, mentoring or a similar environment.
• Experienced in supporting children with complex emotional, behavioural or additional needs.
• Passionate about supporting children and young people with SEND.
• Warm, patient, compassionate and emotionally attuned.
• Able to build trusting and consistent relationships with children who may have experienced difficulties in education or relationships.
• Interested in therapeutic approaches, emotional wellbeing and child development.
• Able to understand and respond sensitively to children’s individual communication, sensory and emotional needs.
• Calm and confident when supporting children who are dysregulated or displaying challenging behaviour.
• Able to maintain clear, consistent and appropriate boundaries while developing positive and trusting relationships.
• Comfortable supporting children on a 1:1 and small-group basis.
• Creative, practical and enthusiastic about hands-on activities and engaging children in meaningful learning experiences.
• Able to encourage independence rather than doing things for children, supporting them to develop confidence, self-help and problem-solving skills.
• A good communicator who can work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Reliable, organised and willing to get involved in all aspects of school life.
• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
• Open to learning and developing their knowledge of therapeutic, trauma-informed and attachment-aware approaches.
• Reflective and willing to receive feedback, supervision and guidance from experienced practitioners.
• Able to recognise emotional triggers and respond consistently in ways that promote emotional safety, predictability and trust.

About Sendsory

Sendsory is a specialist Alternative Provision supporting children aged 4 - 11 years old with SEND. Our Therapeutic Curriculum supports children to regulate emotions, develop communication and social skills and build confidence in a nurturing, structured environment.

We support children who are awaiting school placement, at risk of or who have experienced permanent exclusion, and those disengaging from mainstream education.

What we offer you

The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to children with SEND. The opportunity to work within a specialist, therapeutic provision. Support and direction from experienced therapeutic and SEND practitioners. Opportunities to develop your knowledge of trauma-informed and attachment-aware practice. Training and supervision in appropriate therapeutic wellbeing activities. Opportunities to support community-based learning and develop pupils’ real-world life skills. A varied and rewarding role with no two days the same. The opportunity to develop your career within SEND, therapeutic education and specialist provision. A supportive team environment focused on the wellbeing, development and independence of every child.

If you are passionate about helping children with SEND, have a calm and compassionate approach, and want to be part of a specialist team that puts emotional wellbeing and meaningful development at the heart of education, we would love to hear from you.

How to apply

Please complete your application by visiting the vacancies page of our website. This application process will include the need for a supporting statement outlining how you meet the criteria in the job description. Applications submitted without a supporting statement will not be considered.

Closing date: 1.00 pm, 18 September 2026. Interview date: 21 September 2026.

This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check. Includa Education Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and apprentices to share this commitment. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce.