HLTA – Secure Children’s Unit

Location: Morpeth
Job Type: Full-Time
Start Date: September 2026
Pay: Dependent on experience

Education isn't always about sitting behind a desk. Sometimes it's about building trust first.

Protocol Education is recruiting for an experienced HLTA to work within a secure children’s unit in Morpeth.

This role could suit an experienced education professional, but we would also be interested in candidates with backgrounds in youth work, residential childcare, behaviour support or specialist support work who have strong transferable skills.

The Role

You will support young people who may present with challenging behaviour, emotional needs or disrupted educational backgrounds.

You will:

• Support classroom-based learning
• Work 1:1 and with small groups
• Assist with lesson delivery
• Encourage positive behaviour and engagement
• Build trusting but professional relationships
• Support emotional regulation
• Maintain consistent routines and boundaries
• Help young people develop confidence and independence
• Work closely with teaching and support staff
• Follow safeguarding and behaviour procedures

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role?

You don't need to have all the answers.

You do need to be:

• Calm under pressure
• Consistent
• Patient
• Resilient
• A good communicator
• Confident setting boundaries
• Able to build professional relationships
• Comfortable working within a structured environment

Previous experience in secure settings, residential childcare, SEMH, youth work, alternative provision, PRUs or challenging behaviour would be highly beneficial.

What Protocol Education Offers

• Weekly PAYE pay
• Dedicated consultant
• Access to CPD training
• SEND and behaviour-focused development opportunities
• Long-term and permanent opportunities
• Ongoing support throughout your placement

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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