Young Offenders Support Worker

Young Offenders Support Worker – Education Setting

£95–£100 per day | Full-Time | Temp-to-Perm

 Rotherham
Monday–Friday | Immediate Start

Do you have experience supporting young offenders, vulnerable teenagers or young people with challenging behaviour?

Have you worked in youth justice, children’s homes, residential care, secure settings, youth work, behaviour support, Alternative Provision or PRUs?

We are recruiting a Young Offenders Support Worker to join a specialist SEMH school supporting children and young people across KS2–KS4.

This is an excellent opportunity to transfer your experience into education. You do not need previous school experience or a Teaching Assistant qualification.

Your experience in de-escalation, challenging behaviour, safeguarding, relationship-building and supporting vulnerable young people could make you an excellent fit for this role.

Please note: This is a classroom-based school role and is not based within a Young Offender Institution.

The Role

As a Young Offenders Support Worker, you will:

• Provide 1:1 and small-group support
• Support pupils with SEMH and behavioural needs
• Help young people engage with lessons and education
• Build positive relationships with pupils who may be difficult to engage
• Support challenging behaviour and emotional dysregulation
• Recognise triggers and use appropriate de-escalation strategies
• Maintain clear, consistent and professional boundaries
• Support pupils following incidents or heightened behaviour
• Encourage positive choices, confidence and resilience
• Support pupils academically, socially and emotionally
• Work alongside teaching, pastoral and safeguarding staff

About the Young People

The school supports children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs who require a smaller, more personalised educational environment.

Some pupils may have experienced:

• School exclusion or disrupted education
• Trauma or adverse childhood experiences
• Challenging behaviour
• Difficulties regulating emotions
• Poor attendance or disengagement from education
• Difficult family circumstances
• Involvement with external support services

Behaviour can sometimes be challenging, so pupils need adults who are calm, resilient, consistent and able to build trust while maintaining clear boundaries.

The school takes a nurturing and trauma-informed approach, helping pupils overcome barriers and successfully re-engage with education.

Who Would Suit This Role?

We would particularly like to hear from Support Workers, Residential Support Workers, Youth Workers, Behaviour Support Workers, Youth Offending Workers and Children’s Residential Care Workers.

Experience within any of the following would be highly transferable:

• Youth offending / youth justice
• Children’s homes
• Residential childcare
• Secure children’s settings
• Youth work
• Behaviour support
• SEMH / SEND
• Alternative Provision / PRUs
• Mental health support
• Outreach work
• Social care
• Mentoring vulnerable young people

Previous school experience is not essential.

What We’re Looking For

You should be:

• Calm, confident and resilient
• Experienced with challenging behaviour
• Able to build relationships with vulnerable young people
• Confident using de-escalation strategies
• Comfortable establishing firm but fair boundaries
• Patient and consistent
• Safeguarding-focused
• Reliable and committed
• Comfortable working within a classroom
• Available full-time, Monday to Friday

Moving From Residential Care or Youth Justice Into Education?

You don’t need to be a qualified Teaching Assistant.

If you’ve supported vulnerable young people within children’s homes, youth offending services, secure care, residential settings or youth work, many of the skills you already have are directly transferable.

This is an opportunity to use your experience to help young people re-engage with education, develop positive relationships and build towards a more successful future.

Apply today for immediate consideration.