Learning Support Assistant – SEMH & Youth Justice Pathway

Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton
West Drayton
Start Date: September 2026 | Pay: £101.40/day | Term time only | 8:30am–3:45pm

Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton – Education and Training - Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton

Are you a Criminology, Psychology, or Social Science graduate wanting to understand the real link between SEMH, school exclusion, and the youth criminal justice system?

This role places you directly with vulnerable children at high risk of knife crime, gang exploitation, criminalisation, and the school-to-prison pipeline. If you're aspiring to be a Forensic Psychologist, Youth Justice Officer, Probation Practitioner, Clinical Psychologist, or Social Worker, this is frontline, trauma-informed experience that graduate schemes can't offer.

The Role: SEN Learning Support Assistant (SEMH Focus)

You'll join a specialist SEMH school supporting pupils whose needs stem from:

• ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
• Community violence and crime exposure
• Family breakdown and poverty
• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) and gang affiliation
• Knife crime and serious youth violence

Many pupils have been permanently excluded or are on the edge of the justice system. Your job: help them re-engage with learning, regulate emotions, and make safer choices—often in crisis moments.

Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton – Education and Training - Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton

What You'll Gain – Practical Youth Justice & SEMH Experience

You'll be actively involved in:

• Emotional regulation & de-escalation – supporting pupils in distress or aggression
• Restorative practice – facilitating conversations around harm and repair
• 1:1 & group mentoring – focusing on decision-making, peer pressure, and risk
• Behaviour support – implementing tailored plans with specialist staff
• Safeguarding – risk assessments, incident reporting, and contextual safeguarding
• Knife crime prevention – workshops and reflective discussions on violence and safety
• Trauma-informed practice – building trust with young people who've experienced harm and rejection

Why This Role Is Ideal for Criminal Justice Careers

The school has strong links to Youth Offending Teams, Early Help, CAMHS, and Forensic/Clinical Psychology pathways. You'll see firsthand how SEMH, trauma, and exclusion predict youth offending—giving you a credible foundation for:

• Forensic Psychology Doctorates
• Youth Justice & Probation Graduate Schemes
• Social Work (Children & Families)
• Clinical Psychology (CAMHS/secure settings)
• Counselling & Therapeutic Services

Training & CPD – Fully Funded

Free, career-focused training includes:

• Trauma-Informed Practice
• Behaviour De-escalation & Positive Handling
• Contextual Safeguarding & Exploitation Awareness
• Youth Mental Health First Aid
• Restorative Practice & Conflict Resolution
• Knife Crime & Serious Violence Prevention

Plus free access to Milk Academy with 1,000+ accredited CPD courses.

Who We're Looking For

• Graduates in Criminology, Psychology, Sociology, Youth & Community Work, or related Social Sciences
• Calm, reflective, emotionally intelligent individuals comfortable with high-risk, challenging behaviour
• Those who see behaviour as communication and believe in early intervention over punishment
• Passionate about violence reduction, safeguarding, and social justice
• Able to commit September 2026 – July 2027

Key Info

• Location: Slough (easily commutable from West London)
• Pay: £108
• Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:30am–3:45pm (term time only)
• Start: September 2026

Why Milk Education?

• 5-star rated agency with 3,000+ reviews
• Wellbeing-led – mental health platform with counselling
• Eco-friendly – UK's only environmentally conscious education agency
• 24/7 consultant support
• Free wellbeing resources, PSHE materials, and school prep packs
• Access to Unbottled – lived-experience speakers on violence, exploitation, and resilience
• Fast-track registration and flexible compliance

Ready to launch your career in youth justice, forensic psychology, or social care?

Apply now for a September 2026 start.

Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton – Education and Training - Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton – Education and Training - Aspiring Youth/Social/Criminal Justice Officer – Learning Support Assistant West Drayton