1:1 SEND Support Assistant | Durham

Location: Durham
Job Type: Full Time, Term Time Only
Start Date: September 2026
Pay: £92.65–£108 per day, dependent on experience

Can you be the calm, consistent person a child needs?

Protocol Education are recruiting for a resilient and compassionate 1:1 SEND Support Assistant to join a specialist school in Durham, supporting a pupil with complex behavioural and additional needs.

This role will suit someone who understands that challenging behaviour is often a form of communication. You'll need patience, confidence and the ability to remain calm when situations become difficult, while building a trusting relationship with the pupil.

What you'll be doing

• Providing dedicated 1:1 support throughout the school day
• Supporting a pupil who can present with highly challenging and dysregulated behaviour
• Managing incidents that may include biting, kicking, throwing objects and physical outbursts
• Following individual behaviour support and risk management plans
• Helping the pupil regulate their emotions and remain safe
• Supporting engagement with learning and classroom activities
• Building a consistent and positive relationship with the pupil
• Working closely with teachers, SEND staff and the wider school team

The school has appropriate strategies and support in place, and you'll receive guidance from experienced staff.

We're looking for someone who

• Has experience supporting children or young people with SEND, SEMH or challenging behaviour
• Is calm and confident when faced with difficult situations
• Is resilient and doesn't give up when progress takes time
• Can build relationships through consistency, patience and empathy
• Understands the importance of safeguarding and following agreed strategies
• Can work effectively as part of a wider team

Experience in specialist education, PRUs, residential care, youth work, mental health support or similar environments would be particularly valuable.

Why join Protocol Education?

• Weekly PAYE pay – no umbrella companies
• FREE access to our online CPD Academy
• Dedicated consultant support
• Local SEND opportunities across Durham
• Experience across specialist and alternative settings
• Streamlined registration
• Refer a Friend scheme with rewards

Have you completed Thrive training?

If not, ask us about our FREE Thrive training, designed to help you develop your confidence when supporting children with social, emotional and behavioural needs.

If you're patient, resilient and ready to make a genuine difference, apply today.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQs on the Protocol Education website for further details.

All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.

Protocol Education is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with the DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’, this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer FREE online safeguarding and Prevent Duty training to all our workers. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and subscribe to the DBS Update Service.

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