Behaviour Support Worker

Behaviour Support Worker – Specialist SEMH School

📍 Bradford
⏰ Full-Time | Monday–Friday | Long-Term
📅 Immediate Start

Are you passionate about supporting young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs?

Do you have experience within behaviour support, youth work, Alternative Provision, PRUs, SEND, residential care, children’s homes, mental health or supporting vulnerable young people?

We are recruiting a Behaviour Support Worker to join a specialist school in Bradford supporting young people aged 11–19 with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

The pupils have a range of additional needs including SEMH, ADHD, Autism, anxiety, attachment difficulties, communication needs and learning difficulties. Some young people may display behaviours that challenge as a result of their needs, previous experiences, emotional regulation difficulties or barriers to education.

This role is all about relationships, consistency and helping young people regulate, re-engage and make positive choices.

The Role

As a Behaviour Support Worker, you will:

• Build positive and trusting relationships with young people aged 11–19
• Provide 1:1 and small-group behaviour and pastoral support
• Help pupils manage emotions, regulate behaviour and remain engaged in education
• Identify triggers and recognise changes in behaviour or emotional wellbeing
• Use appropriate de-escalation and behaviour management strategies
• Provide clear boundaries, routines and consistent expectations
• Support pupils during challenging or heightened situations
• Help young people reflect on incidents and develop healthier coping strategies
• Encourage resilience, independence and positive decision-making
• Support pupils to rebuild confidence and develop positive relationships with education
• Work alongside teaching, pastoral, safeguarding and SEND staff
• Support pupils within lessons where required to help them access their education

About the School

The school is a specialist provision supporting young people aged 11–19 with significant SEMH and additional needs.

The school takes a nurturing, relational and trauma-informed approach, recognising that behaviour is often a form of communication.

Staff work hard to understand the individual needs and experiences behind a young person’s behaviour, while maintaining clear boundaries, consistent expectations and a safe environment.

Some pupils may have experienced disrupted education, exclusion, trauma or difficulties within previous settings. As a result, building trust and positive relationships is a key part of helping them successfully re-engage with education.

The environment is highly personalised, with a strong focus on emotional regulation, behaviour, relationships, confidence and preparation for adulthood alongside academic learning.

Who We’re Looking For

We would particularly like to hear from people with backgrounds in:

• Behaviour support
• Alternative Provision or PRUs
• SEMH or SEND schools
• Youth work
• Children’s homes or residential care
• Mental health support
• Pastoral support or mentoring
• Autism or ADHD support
• Learning disabilities
• Social care
• Sports coaching or community work with challenging young people

Previous school experience is desirable but not essential.

If you’ve worked with vulnerable, disengaged or challenging young people in another setting and can demonstrate strong behaviour management and relationship-building skills, we’d still be keen to hear from you.

What We’re Looking For

You’ll need to be someone who is:

• Calm and confident when faced with challenging behaviour
• Resilient and able to avoid taking behaviour personally
• Able to establish firm but fair boundaries
• Patient, consistent and reliable
• Naturally strong at building relationships with young people
• Able to recognise when a young person is becoming dysregulated
• Confident using de-escalation strategies
• Understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries
• Comfortable working with young people who may have complex backgrounds
• Available full-time, Monday to Friday

Apply Today

This could be an excellent opportunity for an experienced Behaviour Support Worker, Youth Worker, Residential Support Worker, Children’s Support Worker, Pastoral Worker, Mentor or SEND/SEMH Teaching Assistant looking to develop their career within specialist education.

You don’t necessarily need traditional classroom experience – the ability to build relationships, remain calm under pressure and provide consistent behaviour support is key.

Apply today and we’ll be in touch to discuss your experience and the role in more detail.