1:1 Complex Needs Support Assistant | Durham SEND Schools

Location: Durham
Job Type: Full Time, Term Time Only
Start Date: September 2026
Pay: £92.63–£108 per day, dependent on experience

Look beyond the behaviour. Support the child.

Protocol Education are recruiting for a dedicated 1:1 SEND Support Assistant to work in a specialist school in Durham.

The pupil you'll be supporting can present with complex behavioural needs, including periods of significant dysregulation. This may involve biting, kicking, throwing objects and other physical behaviours.

Your role won't simply be about managing behaviour. It's about understanding what sits behind it, creating a sense of safety and helping the pupil develop positive ways to communicate and engage.

The role will involve

• Providing consistent 1:1 support
• Supporting a pupil with complex SEND and behavioural needs
• Helping the pupil recognise and manage their emotions
• Using agreed sensory, behavioural and communication strategies
• Supporting classroom engagement and learning
• Following individual behaviour and safeguarding plans
• Responding calmly to incidents of challenging behaviour
• Building trust through consistency and positive reinforcement
• Working alongside teachers and experienced SEND professionals

We're looking for someone with...

• Experience supporting children or young people with additional needs
• A calm and patient approach
• Strong resilience and emotional awareness
• Confidence working in challenging situations
• A genuine interest in understanding behaviour
• The ability to build relationships based on trust and consistency
• A willingness to learn and follow specialist strategies

Experience within SEND schools, SEMH, PRUs, residential care, youth work or behaviour support would be beneficial.

Develop your SEND career with Protocol Education

As well as your placement, you'll have access to:

• Weekly PAYE pay
• No umbrella companies
• FREE CPD Academy
• FREE Thrive training
• Dedicated consultant support
• Local SEND opportunities across Durham
• Experience in specialist and alternative settings
• Refer a Friend rewards

Thrive training: If you haven't completed Thrive training, speak to us about accessing it for FREE. It can give you practical strategies and greater confidence when supporting children with complex social, emotional and behavioural needs.

If you're patient, resilient and ready to see the child beyond the behaviour, 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.

Full assistance provided. For details of our privacy policy, please see visit the Protocol Education website.

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