SEMH Therapeutic Learning Practitioner

Exceptional Practitioners Wanted to Transform Lives

This is not a conventional education role.

We are seeking outstanding professionals with the expertise, emotional intelligence, and unwavering commitment to support children and young people with complex Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs through a truly therapeutic, relational, and holistic learning approach.

Our pupils require professionals who understand trauma, recognise the language of behaviour, and have the professional skill to rebuild trust where it has often been lost.

This position is suited to highly experienced practitioners who see beyond behaviour, embrace reflective practice, and understand that meaningful progress is built through relationships, consistency, and compassion.

Our Philosophy

We believe that learning cannot flourish without emotional safety.

Every interaction is an opportunity to regulate, connect, and empower. Our therapeutic model is underpinned by trauma-informed practice, attachment theory, restorative approaches, and a commitment to recognising each child's individual strengths, interests, and potential.

We hold exceptionally high expectations-not simply of our pupils, but of ourselves as professionals.

Who We Are Looking For

We are interested in practitioners who have consistently demonstrated excellence in supporting children and young people with complex SEMH presentations and who possess the confidence to work within highly dynamic and emotionally demanding environments.

Successful candidates will be able to demonstrate:

• Significant experience working with children and young people presenting with SEMH, trauma, attachment difficulties, emotional dysregulation, neurodiversity, and complex behavioural needs.
• A sophisticated understanding of trauma-informed, attachment-aware, and therapeutic practice that extends beyond theory into consistently effective practice.
• The ability to interpret behaviour through a clinical and relational lens, recognising distress, unmet need, and developmental trauma rather than simply responding to behaviour itself.
• Exceptional emotional resilience, self-awareness, and the ability to remain calm, reflective, and emotionally available during periods of crisis.
• Advanced skills in co-regulation, de-escalation, conflict resolution, and restorative practice.
• The confidence to contribute professionally within multidisciplinary teams, working collaboratively with therapists, educators, families, and external agencies.
• The ability to create personalised learning experiences that engage pupils who have often experienced repeated educational failure.
• An unwavering commitment to safeguarding, professional integrity, and evidence-informed practice.

We Are Looking for Excellence, Not Availability

This role requires professionals who consistently demonstrate:

• Outstanding relationship-building skills.
• Exceptional emotional intelligence.
• Professional curiosity and reflective practice.
• Strong professional boundaries balanced with warmth and empathy.
• High levels of resilience without becoming desensitised.
• The confidence to challenge, support, and inspire colleagues as well as pupils.
• A commitment to continual professional development and therapeutic excellence.

Desirable Qualifications and Experience

Applications are particularly welcomed from professionals with backgrounds in:

• Specialist SEMH education.
• Therapeutic education.
• Educational psychology.
• Child and adolescent mental health.
• Counselling or psychotherapy.
• Youth justice or youth work.
• Social work.
• Children's residential care.
• Occupational therapy.
• Speech and language therapy.
• Behaviour analysis and Positive Behaviour Support.
• Therapeutic mentoring.

Additional training in Trauma-Informed Practice, Attachment Theory, PACE, Team Teach, Positive Behaviour Support, Mental Health First Aid, or restorative approaches would be highly advantageous.

What You Can Expect

Joining our team means becoming part of a culture that values professionalism, collaboration, and continual growth.

We invest heavily in our people through:

• High-quality specialist therapeutic training.
• Ongoing coaching, supervision, and reflective practice.
• Opportunities to work alongside experienced therapeutic and educational professionals.
• A collaborative culture where innovation and evidence-informed practice are encouraged.
• Genuine opportunities for progression into leadership and specialist roles.

This Role Is Not for Everyone

Working therapeutically with children who have experienced significant adversity requires more than patience. It demands emotional maturity, professional humility, resilience, critical thinking, and an unwavering belief in every child's capacity to grow.

If you are looking for a role where you can genuinely influence lives, contribute to an exceptional therapeutic team, and continually develop your professional expertise, we would welcome your application.

We are not simply recruiting staff.

We are building a team of exceptional practitioners who believe that every child deserves adults who will never give up on them.