Specialist Education & Care Assistant


Company:	senploy
Salary:	£90 - £90
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	SALTASH, CORNWALL
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	18 Aug 2026
Closing date:	13 Sept 2026

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Summary

SEN Support Assistant - Develop Your Career in Specialist Education

Location: Saltash, Cornwall

Pay: £90 per day

Contract: Full-Time | Term-Time

If you want to work with children and young people while building skills that can take your career further, this SEN Support Assistant opportunity in Saltash could be an excellent next move.

You'll join a specialist education environment supporting pupils who may have Autism, ADHD, SEMH needs, communication difficulties and other barriers to learning.

You'll be making a difference from day one, but you'll also be developing valuable practical experience that can support your own progression within education, SEND, pastoral care, psychology, therapy or youth services.

Working alongside teachers and experienced support professionals, you'll learn how to adapt your approach to meet the individual needs of different pupils.

Your role will include:

- Supporting children and young people during lessons and activities

- Providing individual and small-group learning support

- Helping pupils with SEND access their education

- Building positive and trusting relationships

- Encouraging pupils to become more confident and independent

- Supporting communication and social interaction

- Helping young people develop strategies for managing their emotions

- Reinforcing positive behaviour and classroom routines

- Supporting pupils who may struggle to engage with traditional learning

- Working collaboratively with teachers and other professionals

For some pupils, progress might mean completing a piece of work independently. For others, it could be communicating a need, managing a difficult situation or simply feeling confident enough to participate.

You'll be there to help make those steps possible.

Working within specialist education can introduce you to career paths you may not previously have considered.

The experience gained in this position could help you progress towards opportunities in:

- Teaching and teacher training

- Higher-level SEND support

- Behaviour and pastoral support

- Youth work and mentoring

- Psychology

- Educational psychology

- Speech and language support

- Occupational therapy

- Social care and family support

It's particularly suited to someone who wants to learn through practical experience while deciding where they would ultimately like their career to take them.

You don't necessarily need years of classroom experience.

We're interested in hearing from people who have worked with children, young people or vulnerable individuals in environments such as education, care, residential services, youth work, mentoring, sports coaching or community support.

You may also be a graduate looking to gain relevant experience before taking your next professional or academic step.

What matters most is that you:

- Have a genuine interest in supporting young people

- Are patient, empathetic and resilient

- Can communicate positively and professionally

- Are comfortable adapting to different needs and situations

- Can remain calm when faced with challenging behaviour

- Are willing to learn from experienced colleagues

- Work well as part of a team

- Are reliable and committed to the pupils you support

As you help pupils develop, you'll be developing too.

You'll gain:

- Practical experience of SEND and specialist education

- Exposure to different learning and communication needs

- Experience of behaviour and emotional support

- Stronger safeguarding knowledge

- Transferable communication and relationship-building skills

- Experience working within a specialist education team

- Valuable evidence for future job or training applications

- A clearer understanding of potential education and SEND career pathways

You'll receive £90 per day while gaining experience that could help shape your future career.

You don't need to have your entire career planned. You just need the motivation to learn, the resilience to keep going when things are challenging and the desire to help young people succeed.

If that sounds like you, we'd love to hear from you.

Apply today with your CV for this SEN Support Assistant opportunity in Saltash and start building your future in specialist education.

This vacancy is being advertised on Senploy - the UK's specialist SEND and education job board.

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