Job Description

8:30am – 3:30pm, 4 days per week

£14.25 per hour

Start Date: 1st September 2026

Are you a Psychology or Criminology graduate looking to gain meaningful, hands-on experience supporting young people with additional needs and mental health challenges?

This is an excellent opportunity for graduates interested in educational psychology, mental health, clinical practice, youth justice, social care, counselling, or therapeutic work to develop real-world experience within a specialist college environment in central Bath.

You will support young people with autism, learning disabilities, emotional regulation needs, and complex backgrounds, helping them to access education, build independence, and feel safe, understood, and supported within a structured setting.

Why Psychology & Criminology Graduates Are Well Suited to This Role

Graduates in Psychology and Criminology bring a strong understanding of human behaviour, emotional regulation, communication, trauma, and mental health.

Many students in specialist college settings experience anxiety, social communication difficulties, low confidence, sensory overwhelm, or challenges linked to previous life experiences. The ability to build trust, remain calm under pressure, understand behaviour as communication, and develop positive therapeutic relationships is central to this role.

Your studies will have given you valuable insight into:

• Mental health and emotional wellbeing

• Behavioural and cognitive development

• Trauma-informed approaches

• Communication and relationship-building

• Neurodiversity and individual differences

• The importance of consistency, empathy, and safeguarding

This role offers the chance to apply that knowledge in a highly rewarding, practical setting while gaining experience that is directly relevant to careers in psychology, mental health, therapy, education, youth work, probation, social work, and related fields.

About the Role

As a Therapeutic Support Assistant, you will work closely with students in the classroom and around the college, providing consistent, person-centred support tailored to individual needs.

You will use structured, relational, and autism-informed approaches to help students engage with learning, develop communication skills, regulate emotions, and manage daily routines successfully.

You will become a key trusted adult for students, helping to create a calm, safe, and supportive environment where they can thrive both academically and personally.

About the Setting

This specialist college supports young people with:

• Autism (ASC)

• Moderate to severe learning disabilities

• Communication and sensory needs

• Social, emotional, and mental health needs

• Anxiety and emotional regulation difficulties

• Additional needs linked to previous adverse experiences

The environment is highly supportive, structured, and relationship-focused, with a strong emphasis on student wellbeing, emotional safety, and independence.

Staff work collaboratively with therapists, behaviour specialists, teachers, and support teams to ensure every student can access education in a way that works for them.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide tailored classroom and therapeutic support

• Support emotional regulation using calm and consistent approaches

• Build positive, trusting relationships with students

• Help students engage with learning and daily routines

• Use autism-informed and trauma-informed strategies

• Support communication, confidence, and independence

• Work collaboratively with teachers, therapists, and pastoral teams

• Promote student wellbeing, safety, and inclusion throughout the day

What You’ll Gain

• Hands-on experience supporting young people with SEN and mental health needs

• Experience applying psychological and behavioural theory in practice

• Training in autism-informed practice, behaviour support, and communication strategies

• Experience working within a multidisciplinary therapeutic team

• Insight into neurodiversity, cognition, emotional regulation, and mental health support

• Excellent experience for careers in:

o Educational Psychology

o Clinical Psychology

o Mental Health Support

o Counselling & Therapy

o Youth Justice & Probation

o Occupational Therapy

o Speech & Language Therapy

o Social Work

o SEN Education

• Opportunity for long-term or permanent roles

Ideal Candidate

• Graduate in Psychology, Criminology, Sociology, Education, or a related field

• Passionate about supporting young people with additional needs

• Interested in mental health, behaviour, neurodiversity, or therapeutic work

• Calm, patient, empathetic, and resilient

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills

• Experience supporting young people is desirable (education, care, youth work, mentoring, SEN support, coaching, or volunteering)

If you’re looking to gain meaningful experience supporting young people with autism, additional needs, and mental health challenges while building skills relevant to psychology, criminology, and therapeutic careers, apply now