At a Glance
- Tasks: Support secondary students with emotional and behavioural challenges through 1:1 mentoring.
- Company: Join a supportive school environment focused on nurturing vulnerable youth.
- Benefits: Enjoy fair pay, standard hours, and a secure contract for the academic year.
- Other info: Work term-time only, with no weekend shifts or irregular hours.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in students' lives while achieving a better work-life balance.
- Qualifications: Experience in children's residential care and a passion for mentoring adolescents.
The predicted salary is between 23615 - 25674 £ per year.
Location: Preston, Lancashire
Start Date: September 2026
Contract Type: Full Academic Year (Sept 2026 - July 2027), Term-Time Only
Salary: Paid to NJC Scale from Day 1
About the Role
Are you currently working in a children's residential home and looking for a better work-life balance? If you want to drop the waking nights, weekend shifts, and irregular hours while keeping your passion for supporting vulnerable youth, transitioning into a school environment is the perfect step forward.
We are actively recruiting for secondary schools across Preston who are seeking SEMH (Social, Emotional, and Mental Health) Teaching Assistants and Behaviour Mentors for the upcoming academic year starting September 2026.
In this role, you will work 1:1 or with small groups of secondary-aged pupils (Years 7-11) who have faced complex trauma or exhibit challenging behaviour. Your primary goal will be to provide pastoral stability, manage emotional dysregulation, and break down social and emotional barriers to learning.
Why Your Care Experience Is a Premium Asset
Mainstream schools and specialist academies are struggling with behaviour retention, and they need individuals with a background in trauma-informed care. Your transferable skills from residential care mean you already excel where standard applicants might struggle:
- De-escalation Expertise: You know how to read the warning signs of emotional distress and de-escalate crisis behaviour calmly and professionally.
- Trauma-Informed Approach: You naturally separate a young person's background and emotional wounds from their outward behaviour.
- Professional Boundaries: You understand the vital importance of firm, consistent boundaries that make vulnerable children feel secure.
- Multi-Agency Knowledge: You are already fluent in daily tracking, logging incident reports, and working alongside social services, therapists, and internal safeguarding leads.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide high-impact, nurture-focused 1:1 mentoring to secondary students displaying complex social, emotional, or behavioural difficulties.
- Work closely with the school's inclusion or pastoral team to support the implementation of Individual Education Programs (IEPs) or behaviour plans.
- Monitor and document student behavioural trends, offering valuable context for pastoral progress meetings and look-after-children (LAC) reviews.
What We Are Looking For
- Experience: Minimum 6-12 months of experience working within a Children's Residential Home, short-break respite facility, youth justice setting, or specialised foster care.
- Qualifications: Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare (or Children and Young People's Workforce) is highly advantageous, but transferable hands-on experience is prioritised. Prior training in Team Teach, MAPA, or PRICE is a major plus.
- Mindset: High levels of emotional intelligence, resilience, thick skin, and a genuine passion for adolescent mentoring.
What We Offer
- Fair Pay Parity: We believe in absolute transparency. You are paid directly to the local NJC scale from Day 1, ensuring your professional sector experience is correctly valued.
- The Ultimate Work-Life Balance: No more sleep-ins, weekend shifts, or holiday rotas. You will work standard school hours (Mon-Fri, approx. 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM), term-time only.
- True Long-Term Stability: A secure, guaranteed contract running for the entire 2026/2027 academic year.
How to Apply
Please click 'Apply Now' to upload your updated CV highlighting your residential care experience, or contact our Lancashire SEN & Inclusion Recruitment Team directly for an informal discussion.
Residential Care to Secondary School Support Worker in Preston employer: Tradewind Recruitment
Join a supportive and dynamic educational environment in Preston, where your experience in residential care will be highly valued. We offer a fair pay structure from day one, ensuring your skills are recognised, alongside a work-life balance that allows you to thrive without the demands of irregular hours. With a focus on employee growth and stability, this role provides an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the lives of vulnerable youth while enjoying a secure contract for the academic year.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Residential Care to Secondary School Support Worker in Preston
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Tradewind Recruitment.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Tradewind Recruitment!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Tradewind Recruitment, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Tradewind Recruitment or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Residential Care to Secondary School Support Worker in Preston
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Tradewind Recruitment:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Tradewind Recruitment! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Tradewind Recruitment
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
